


Spectrum

by a1_kitkat, ausfil, chooken, Joey_Westwife, SwedishGirl



Category: Westlife
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Banter, Biting, Blow Jobs, Boyband, Boys Kissing, Car Sex, Consensual Kink, Dom/sub Undertones, Emotional, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Foursome, Foursome - M/M/M/M, Friends With Benefits, Grinding, Hot Tub Sex, M/M, Male Friendship, Multi, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Reminiscing, Reunion Sex, Reunions, Riding, Rimming, Romantic Friendship, Rough Sex, Spanking, Vibrators
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 20:58:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 29,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18836656
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a1_kitkat/pseuds/a1_kitkat, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ausfil/pseuds/ausfil, https://archiveofourown.org/users/chooken/pseuds/chooken, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joey_Westwife/pseuds/Joey_Westwife, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SwedishGirl/pseuds/SwedishGirl
Summary: That's it. It's set. The 20th anniversary; the momentous reunion.After 7 years apart, they gather together for the first time, and discussion trickles into reminiscing. The times they used to spend fooling around on tour since they were just kids. The moments of comfort, fun, hot breaths and heartfelt words. Of having each other.Before the reunion, the lads promise to have one more round. For old times sake.





	1. Pact

**Author's Note:**

> The four of us started planning this reunion collaboration months ago. We divided the pairings between us, wrote them all separately and brought them together into one piece, and it's finally here! It was an amazing experience coming together to create this, so we hope you enjoy it x
> 
>  
> 
>  _Pre-order Westlife's comeback album, Spectrum, here:_ <https://shop.westlife.com/>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by a1_kitkat

The view from Mark’s window was so mesmerising that Nicky could barely tear his eyes away despite having been sitting on the couch for the better part of the last hour. His foot was resting on the coffee table even after his friend had asked twice for him to move it. Nicky could hear Shane’s laugh from the other room but was too comfortable to get up, his former bandmates finally returned with drinks in hand and Shane passed one to Nicky as he sank down beside him.

 

“Fuck the view from here is bloody amazing” Shane declared.

“Yeah” Mark agreed “why do you think I asked you to be here before sunset?”

“You brought us here to brag?” Nicky asked before taking a sip of his drink.

“Absolutely” Mark grinned and raised his own glass in a toast.

 

They all laughed as the sound of the front door slamming echoed through the house. A moment later, Kian appeared removing layers of clothing as he walked. He dumped his coat on the floor only to have Mark swoop in and pick it up. Kian shook his head and crossed the room where he greeted Shane with a hug.

 

“Come off it” Nicky scoffed “you see him all the time, where’s my hug?”

“Get your lazy ass off the couch and you can have one” Kian shot back.

 

Nicky put his drink down and climbed to his feet. As Kian reached out to pull him into a hug, Nicky turned and planted a kiss to his friend’s lips. Shane spat out his mouthful while Kian struggled to break free.

 

“Fuck, I forgot about that game” Shane laughed before wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

“Thought you were going to tell us to get a room” Nicky said with a twinkle in his eye.

“I suppose it’s been awhile, huh?”

“When was the last time you two…?”

“You actually expect us to remember shit like that?” Kian asked as he grabbed Nicky’s beer and took a swig. “I mean some of us definitely had a few more goes than others” he didn’t miss the looks exchanged between his friends.

“I uh guess we won’t be doing much of that anymore” Nicky said what they were each thinking. “It’s going to be… different this time”

 

“I still can’t believe it’s really happening” Mark spoke up “I mean I know it’s not set in stone yet but it will be”

“All our kids will be able to see us onstage” Nicky added.

“I can’t believe we all have three kids” Kian said. “Well, except Mark... He only has one” he immediately ducked to avoid the cushion Mark sent hurtling toward him.

“He’s not that young!” Mark insisted though he was used to Kian ribbing him over his current boyfriend.

“Well, he wasn’t a Westlife fan back in the day” Shane spoke up “so he’ll be able to see you on stage too”

“It’s going to be a shock to his system” Nicky said. Mark shrugged, he wasn’t worried.

 

“So we’re really not going to… you know… anymore?” Nicky asked without looking at any of them.

“Like you said, it’s going to be different this time” Shane agreed.

“But why do things have to change?”

“Because we’re grown men? You’re about to hit forty”

“You take that back!”

“It’s the truth!”

 

“Lads!” Kian cut across them, hoping to stop an argument. “Maybe there is something we can do… A one last hurrah kind of thing”

“We are not having an orgy in my living room!” Mark put his foot down.

 

Kian chuckled.

“Uh I wasn’t going to suggest that” he insisted “but I gotta say, I like that that’s where your mind went Marky… You filthy bastard”

“Kian!” Shane gasped.

“Hey, he’s the one whose mind went there… I was going to suggest we make a pact. Right here, right now to all get together one last time. I know in our younger days we were a bit…”

“Interchangeable?” Nicky said with a wink at Shane.

“We all had our little quirks and kinks… And we weren’t fooling anyone… The girls all agreed what happened in the band, stayed in the band but I don’t think it’s fair to put them through all that again… That’s not to say I don’t want it to be… We’ve got a good six… eight months before this goes public. Let’s take the time to all have that one last time together”

“You mean that one thing we always wanted to do but never did or just a good ‘for old time’s sake’ fuck?” Nicky asked.

“Either… Both... Whatever we each want it to be”

“There’s gotta be rules though” Shane said.

“Yeah cause that’s what we all want when it comes to fucking, rules” Nicky snapped.

 

“I just mean… No one but us can know about it” Shane said “Gill thinks that’s all behind me so I want her to keep thinking that… especially since this truly will be our last times”

“It’s not cheating, right?” Nicky asked “I mean, we all hooked up back in the day… this isn’t any different, right?”

“Let’s not try to apply logic here” Kian said “but if any of us get caught out, we tell the truth. This was so we wouldn’t ever do it again… We won’t do anything to each other on tour. What do you say?”

 

“I’m in” Nicky was the first to agree.

“Me too” Shane was looking at Nicky as he spoke but Nicky was looking at Mark who’d been very quiet during this exchange.

“Marky?” Nicky asked him “it only works if we all agree”

 

“I’m sorry lads” he did look it “but I can’t… It’s not like with Kevin, who was okay with it all… I mean, fuck he liked to watch some of the time but…”

“He doesn’t know, does he?” Nicky asked as he moved towards his friend “you never told him”

“What happened on tour, stayed on tour… and Westlife were long over when I met him” Mark confessed “I never have reason to tell him and I can’t cheat on him now. I love him”

“We all love our wives, Mark” Shane assured him.

“It just doesn’t feel right” Mark told them.

 

He knew it was wrong but he did it anyway, Nicky leaned in and kissed Mark’s lips. It took longer than he expected for Mark to pull away from him.

Mark narrowed his eyes at Nicky; he’d always had a special spot in his heart for Nicky… being with him was unlike being with Shane or Kian. Nicky was definitely his favourite and the blonde knew it.

 

Nicky stayed close, his lips dangerously close to Mark’s ear.

“Don’t you want to be with me one last time?” he whispered. They both knew what Mark’s answer would be.

Mark closed his eyes in defeat.

“He can never know” he whispered. “No one can ever know”

 

Both Shane and Kian moved towards their friends and they all wrapped their arms around the other, reminiscent of their group hugs of the past, the most vivid one being their final concert at Croke.

“It’s agreed then” Shane said, looking at each in turn.

“A pact” Nicky added.

“Between the four of us” Kian agreed.

“No one will ever know” Mark finished. They all nodded and hugged again, sealing their pact.


	2. Shnicky - Shane/Nicky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by Joey_Westwife

Ever since that party at Mark’s gorgeous house, with the beautiful view, the alcohol, the boys, the pact... Shane’s mind had wandered daily and he’d found himself daydreaming about being wrapped around Mark’s big manly arms again, that soft hairy belly squished against his as he momentarily stole him away from his boyfriend. Every time he thought about it he felt guilty, as if Mark was the one cheating the worst above everyone else. The wives couldn’t give them the same experience but Mark’s boyfriend could and Shane felt terrible for encouraging the gentle giant to be a villain. He often thought about the few hot times he’d had with his wife’s cousin Kian too, though he found this the most strange sometimes, keeping it in the family so to speak, it was always different with Kian... But nothing had ever compared to the affectionate, passionate lustful moments he spent with Nicky.

 

He knew it, the band knew it, fans knew it. Shane and Nicky had a special, close friendship; Always had and it shone beautifully during their 14 years together. The hype it caused when the two were seen together during their break up never simmered and everyone knew the expectations of their bromance hadn’t changed and fans still craved to see Nicky throw his arm around Shane’s shoulder and kiss his cheek again.

 

Shane smiled at the memories he shared with Nicky. He knew it had to be different this time but what if Nicky did continue the flirting in interviews and he couldn’t control himself? What if he didn’t and fans were disappointed and accused them of having fallen out? He needed to figure a way to cope with the new dynamic once they were officially reunited. Until then he knew he had one last chance with the beautiful blonde. One last permit to plunge his tongue back down that red and grey stubbled throat, to feel Nicky’s fingernails dig into his shoulders as he thrust his cock deep inside him... He hadn’t felt that sensation for such a long time and he didn’t want to be coaxed back into it easily. He wanted Nicky to pound him one last time, make him cry as he came to the screams of his own name.

 

“Darling are you nearly ready?” Gillian interrupted his train of thought as she popped on her heels as Nicole zipped up her winter coat, desperate to spend the rest of her Christmas money and vouchers in Dublin.

 

They’d stayed over night as a family of 3 in a hotel as a belated gift to their daughter while the boys were home with Shane’s mother. The girl had been treated to tea and cinema the night before and a shopping spree that day whilst they sat to watch a mid season fashion show run by a local university in Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.

 

Shane wasn’t all too keen on the idea of having to sit through a show like that but he’d agreed to do it for his daughter.

 

“Yeah all set sweetheart.” He climbed from the armchair in their room and picked up the suitcases ready to load the car. “Excited about the show Nicole?”

 

“Yes daddy but I know you’re not sold on the idea.”

 

“Anything for my princess.” He leaned down to kiss his daughter’s crown before ushering her out of the hotel.

 

*

 

Wearing what resembled the Duffle coat he wore during the What About Now music video, Nicky shoved his mittenless hands into the pockets to keep warm as he and his wife Georgina, looking stylish above practical, strolled through the streets of Dublin after sharing a hearty breakfast at their favourite café. Child free for the weekend, the couple chose not to plan too much except go with the flow which was to work in the blonde’s favour any second n-...

 

“Mammy look it’s Georgina!” Nicole pointed at the dark-haired beauty across the street, yanking Gillian’s arm not far from its socket.

 

When Shane heard Georgina’s name, he immediately hoped she would be with Nicky so his face lit up as he glanced over to see his

band mate freezing his bollocks off, breathing out his body heat from his nose to create a dragon like puff of smoke.

Nicole had a few memories of the band before they split. Being the oldest of the Westlife children, she’d toured for many years and always had a soft spot for Georgina so despite not having seen her much over the past 6 years, the now teen was eager to say hi again.

 

“Hello Nicole sweetie. Look how much you’ve grown.” Georgina smiled, receiving a hug from the girl. “Hiyah guys.”

 

Shane nodded at Nicky’s wife but quickly turned his attention to the hunched husband trying to keep warm as he jogged on the spot.

“Bit chilly Nick?”

 

Nicky raised his brow then gave evil eyes to Georgina. “Aye but someone insisted on roaming around in the snow remains. It’s brass monkeys mate.” He complained, getting a chuckle from the girls.

 

“Wimp!” Gillian laughed.

 

Nicole told Georgina all about their plans to go shopping and see the fashion show which sparked an interest in the stylish mum but the second she turned to ask Nicky if he wanted to join them, he immediately said no.

 

Shane wished he could say no!

“Haha, what’s up with ya? Got man flu or something?”

 

“Will have if I have to skunk around town much longer.”

 

“Oh for goodness sake Nicky, just go home then.” His wife huffed. “I’m happy to sit and watch the show with Nicole and Gill on my own.”

 

“Babe, I’m sorry but...”

 

“Daddy, why don’t you go with Nicky? I know you don’t really want to see the show anyway. We can meet you later on.” Nicole suggested.

 

When Gillian agreed it was ok for him to bail, Shane imploded. The swarm of butterflies in his belly caused him to stutter and shake as he bid farewell to his wife and daughter for a few hours in exchange for time alone with his favourite Westlife member.

 

“So... Pub?” Shane asked, knowing Nicky was desperate to be inside.

 

“Al a casa Byrne?”

 

“Erm, sure OK why not. Cheaper I suppose and no exposure. I’ll leave Gill the car if we’re alright to take yours?”

 

“No problemo. I’ll message G to get a lift with Gillian then. She can pick you up from mine.”

 

Shane couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to Nicky’s house in Malahide, he just remembered it being grand with a big, beautiful garden and it housed it’s own mini pub which was exactly where they were heading to talk.

 

*

 

Half an hour later Nicky was walking through his front door with Shane in tow, raring to put the kettle on for an Irish brew. The Bailey’s had already been chilling in the fridge to use instead of milk but once his insides were warm, he intended to knock back some Guinness from his own bar pumps. He lead them through the house to the bar as Shane marvelled at the decor and stunning features but before he could turn on the coffee machine, Nicky ushered Shane into his awards room. His Westlife memorabilia shrine.

 

“Awesome man, this is amazing. It’s like a Westlife museum.”

 

Nicky grinned with pride at his fabulous showcase and pointed at a few memories of their time together. “Can’t believe there could be more to add to it again. Are we actually doing this?”

 

“Feels pretty surreal doesn’t it? The fans are going to go crazy when we tell them. I’ve really missed hanging out with you Shane. All of you... Me being here in Dublin is such a pain in the arse. I’ve missed out on so much.”

 

Shane noticed Nicky hang his head in sorrow at all the missed birthdays, Christmas' and celebrations they hadn’t shared together over the last 5 to 6 years so he slapped his hand on the blonde’s shoulder and whispered in his ear. “We’ll just have to make up for it won’t we?”

 

“Huh, not yet we can’t. People will think it’s odd we’re suddenly best mates again. Although I’m 40 this year so perhaps you can all come to my party.”

 

“Can’t wait!” Shane smirked, flirting already but Nicky wasn’t picking up on it. “I’ve missed you too mate. We were so close, it’s been strange not having you around.” Turning back to make their drinks, Nicky winked at Shane as the brunette stripped out of his coat and sat at a stool. “Maybe we won’t get battered for always sitting on stools this time.”

 

“Haha I think we managed to kick the habit with years to spare didn’t we?” Nicky chuckled as he poured a generous amount of Bailey’s into their mugs.

 

“Did you not see me on Celebrity Juice a few years ago? I had to put my head in a green screen hole and guess what person or object other people could see.”

 

Nicky vaguely recalled watching it but couldn’t remember this part. “I don’t remember. Go on.”

 

“My head was on a fucking stool! I actually swore on the TV because I was so annoyed the first object that came to my mind was a stool and I was right.”

 

Nicky laughed out loud and passed over the drink. “Brilliant. I remember Mark and Kian going on it back in the day but I’ve never accepted an invitation yet.”

 

“You’d love it. You’re the filthiest of all of us.”

 

“Well if I’m so filthy maybe we should hit the Jacuzzi outside and scrub me up a bit? I need to be more respectable this time round so I don’t embarrass the kids.”

 

Shane’s heart began to race. Half naked Nicky in a hot tub. Alone. Maybe nothing would or could happen but the thought crossed his mind. “Do you expect me to go in commando?”

 

“No you can borrow a pair of my shorts. I’ll go grab some. Be nicer than a hot bath, we can have a drink outside and chill without actually chilling to death.”

 

“Sounds good. Cheers.” Shane grinned as he sipped his coffee; the anticipation of seeing Nicky topless again killing him already.

 

*

 

Within 20 minutes the boys were submerging into the hot tub as the fairy lights glistened above them on the wooden patio roof keeping their heads dry should it rain. It was covered with clear Perspex to let light in or offer vision of the stars at night. It wasn’t a particularly sunny winter day so the twinkly lights added a little romance to the miserable weather. Nicky had hung up 2 fluffy robes on the wall hooks so they could immediately cover up to jump inside away from the nippy air once they were done. The ice bucket sat on a table at arm’s length so Nicky could reach for bottles of beer as they took the opportunity to kick back, child and wife free, and have some man to man down time.

 

“How do you feel knowing this will be your last solo tour for a while?” Nicky asked knowing Shane had the second leg of his tour to do before his stint in Asia.

 

“It’s a different buzz. I have my band on stage with me in the UK so there’s people to banter with and dance with but it’s not the same. All the focus is on me really. I’m not sharing the attention like I do in the band... But fucking hell Nicky I miss it. I didn’t think I’d miss it this much. Knowing that next year we’ll be back on stage together... I get the same excitement and anxiety I did before the Dreams Come True tour ya know?”

 

Nicky stretched his arms out on the back of the tub, beer in his left hand, his right reaching over to give Shane’s shoulder a squeeze. “After my Eurovision failure I can’t wait to share the stage with you guys again. I need you else I become nothing.”

 

“Hey now, don’t be like that man. Yeah OK it didn’t work for you but it wasn’t the most amazing song and it doesn’t mean you failed. I’ve heard your album, there’s some good tracks on there. I didn’t write anything on my latest album. I guess doing another covers album made me miss the band too. I know we got sick of it in the end and we felt like more covers was a waste of time but it’ll be different next time. We can’t come back only 6 years later with nothing new to offer. The charts have changed, the way people play and buy music isn’t the same... Fine social media has blown up big time but I barely use it, you know what I’m like.”

 

“Fuckin farm boy!” Nicky sniggered at his technologically challenged friend.

 

Shane sighed through his nose with a grin on his face as he turned to stare at Nicky taking a gulp from his bottle.

'That jawline though... And perfect little nose. How did he turn out to be the best looking in the band?'

With Nicky’s hand resting close by, Shane twisted his waist and leaned his own arm up on the side.

“You look more like your dad every time I see you now.”

 

“Yeah I guess I do. I’m still fit though right?”

 

“Always Nicky.” Shane stroked his fingers over the blonde’s forearm giving him shivers. “You’ll always be the sexiest.”

 

“I think we’re all sexy but I’m just more confident with it.”

 

“You have the biggest cock so it’s no wonder.” Shane giggled, remembering again clearly how amazing it felt.

 

Nicky blushed. All the lads knew he was well endowed and most fans had noticed for themselves how bulky his crotch was sometimes but it had only been his wife to see it for such a long time.

“Do you miss it?”

 

“What? Your cock?” Nicky smirked, licking his bottom lip. “I erm... It’s been a long time, I...”

 

“You seriously haven’t thought about it since the pact was made?”

 

“Well yeah of course but...” Shane rolled his eyes as the thought brewed in his swim shorts. “Sake... I’m getting hard just talking about it Nicky, of course I’ve missed it. Sex with you was always amazing.”

 

“So how do you feel knowing this will be our last time?”

 

“This?” Shane gulped, unsure if Nicky meant literally right now would be their last time or if he meant more generally.

 

“No, I mean, whenever. It’s not planned is it?”

 

“Neither was this but it feels pretty romantic to me.”

 

Nicky flashed his angel face grin at the brunette and nodded. “Suppose I’m finding it hard not to stare at your chest. You’re a lot more buff than before.”

 

“Yeah I took to the gym to vent my sexual frustration.” Shane admitted with a shrug. “Gill and I are still active but I guess I knew it was all over for us lads. That chance of another drunken fumble or quickie in the dressing room was gone and I have to admit I struggled with it.”

 

“Wow... Think I fuck Georgina more now since the band split. That’s how I cope with the loss.”

 

“I love my wife. I don’t want to risk losing her now, not after everything we’ve been through. The bankruptcy and stuff... Suppose I’m a little emotional about the pact.”

 

“Hey, it’s alright.” Nicky slid across the seating and stroked the back of Shane’s neck, tussling the bottom strands of his soft brown hair. “I love G too. Just like Kian does Jodi. This pact is just a way of getting it out our systems once and for all. No one is going to find out.”

 

Shane turned his head to look into Nicky’s crystal blue orbs, twinkling in the light. “I never stopped thinking about you Nico.”

 

“Me neither. Why do you think I surprised you on tour? Needed to see you in action again. You have no idea how much I wanted to be on stage with you even then. I can’t wait to be back on the road. Just being around you is a pleasure.”

 

Shane was definitely hard now. He was grateful for the bubbles distorting the view to his crotch as Nicky’s fingers massaged his neck. “Just being around you... Fuck... I don’t know how you do it.”

 

The blonde’s now alcohol free left hand plunged under water to reposition his own bulge but before he could peel his shorts away from his erection, Shane snatched his hand and placed it on his own.

 

“Woah, OK. I didn’t realise...”

 

“Just shut up and kiss me Nicky.” Shane leaned in and took his band mate for himself, crushing their lips together in a fusion of heightened anticipation.

 

Looks like this is it then. Didn’t take them long to be the first to get their kegs off. Nicky’s tongue was soon lost in Shane’s mouth as he floated round to sit on Shane’s lap, grinding his own boner against the brunette’s.

 

“Thank god we have a free pass for this. Makes it less awkward knowing it’s just a one off.” Nicky gasped for air as sweat poured down his forehead. “I’d forgotten how good a kisser you were.”

 

“God I wanna fuck you so bad right now.”

 

“What’s stopping us? We’ve started now, we have to finish.” Nicky exclaimed, kissing Shane’s neck and nibbling his skin. “Mmm, there’s no way I can stop. My cock is steel and I’m not wasting it on a wank Filan.”

 

Shane’s palms were gripped firmly around Nicky’s jaw as they continued to indulge in more passionate kissing but the older boy’s were wandering under the water, feeling the contours of Shane’s muscular chest, making their way down to the waist band of his shorts where his bell-end was forming a peak in the material. It’d been so long since he last grasped a hold of the country boy but he’d never forgotten how sweet it tasted in his mouth. Nicky didn’t quite fancy drowning in order to perform an under water blowjob but feeling it in his hand again was something he couldn’t resist any longer.

 

“I’ve never done it in a jacuzzi before. Or a bath or pool come to think of it.” Shane murmured as he started to shake with excitement. “What if they come home early?”

 

“Relax. There’s an alarm that goes off up there when someone comes in the front door whether it’s unlocked first or not. We’re safe, I promise. The access gate is padlocked this side.” Nicky reassured his nervous friend as he untied Shane’s short lace to slip his hand inside. “God it feels so good to be able to touch you again.”

 

“Not half as good as it feels having you touch me. Mmm, Nicky.” Shane’s breathing juddered as he enjoyed the slow stroke of Nicky’s fingers peel back his foreskin and expose him fully to the bubbles around them. He grabbed the blonde’s balls to fondle causing Nicky to stand between Shane’s legs, leaning his spare hand on the tub side to stop him from collapsing on his face. “Kiss me Nix.”

 

“Take down my shorts for me and maybe I will.” He whispered, biting Shane’s earlobe afterwards.

 

“Gonna loosen you up.”

 

“Yeah? So I can sit on you? I was hoping to bend you over instead.”

 

“And we can’t do both?” Shane asked pouting his bottom lip.

 

“There’s only one condom in my pocket.” Nicky pushed himself up to produce the foil packet before Shane could whip his shorts down.

 

“Why do you have a condom in your swim shorts pocket?!”

 

“So I could shag you, why do you think?” Nicky smirked with a wink. “Chill, it was in my wallet, I pulled it out just in case. It might also be force of habit.”

 

“Too much information. So I guess I’ll just have to use my hands on you then.” Shane raised his brow and yanked down the blonde’s shorts to curl his hand right under his crotch to squeeze that pert, perfect ass cheek. “Where’s my kiss then?”

 

“My tongue will meet yours the second your finger finds my... Ah! Easy... It’s been a while.”

 

“Kiss me then before I force in another.”

 

“Ooh since when did you get bossy in the bedroom? I like it.”

 

“I can be, just not always with you! I like to be the one in pain sometimes too but with you, it’s different. Kiss me Nicky for fuck sake.”

 

“Just don’t let me spunk in the hot tub. I want to finish inside you.” Nicky told him before giving the brunette what he wanted as he continued to beat Shane’s erection in sync with his fingering rhythm. “Mmm, that’s good.” He croaked as he gasped for air. “Ah Shane, another, go for it.” He winced, waiting for another digit to slip inside him. He clenched as he adjusted to the stretch and gripped harder on Shane’s cock at the same time.

 

“If you’re coming inside me, where do I unload?”

 

Nicky looked Shane in the eye and thought for a second. “Shit. I’d say my mouth but you’ll still want to come again when I’m inside you.”

 

“No, I’ve got an idea. I’ll come after you. Just don’t touch it for now. I’ll be fine.”

 

“Oh god!” Nicky cried as Shane unexpectedly snuck in a third finger making his cock weep. “You bastard, ah that feels amazing... Mmm Shane, stop or I’ll...”

 

“So get the rubber on and I’ll turn around.” Shane bit the corner off the condom packet and held it up, extracting his hand from Nicky’s booty at the same time.

 

Jumping up onto the side of the tub, Nicky sat out of the water to place the condom firmly on his boner before sliding back into the hot water, scooping Shane up in his hands and ramming his tongue down his throat.

 

“Easy tiger.” Shane sniggered, drawing away from the violent kiss. “Are you going to warm me up first?”

 

“If you want me to. Tight arse! Wish I could rim you too.” Nicky drew a circle with his tongue around Shane’s lips. “There’s so much I miss.”

 

“You chose the tub not me. This is hot though isn’t it? It’s different.”

 

“Damn fucking right it’s hot. Shane Filan all hot, wet and hard is one of the sexiest things I’ve ever seen. Did I ever tell you how gorgeous you are?” Nicky nuzzled his nose against Shane’s, planting soft kitten kisses on his face as he spoke.

 

“Nicky don’t... Don’t turn this into something else. Not now.”

 

“Sorry. You’re just so fucking perfect Shane. I don’t know how I’m going to keep my hands off you.”

 

“Nicky?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Shut the fuck up and just bone me will ya?”

 

Nicky laughed and nodded. “I’m already there.” He chuckled, reaching down to pull Shane’s shorts off completely and run his hand down his crack to his entrance. “Mmm, I’m gonna fuck you so deep you’ll be choking.” He whispered from behind as Shane kneeled on the seating with his legs spread to form easier access. “God I’ve missed this ass.”

 

Feeling his hole massaged by Nicky’s index finger, Shane braced himself as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “No, just slide it all in gently. Stop wasting time.”

 

Taken by surprise, Nicky shrugged and guided the rubber tip to the right place, slowly pressing and rubbing it around the entrance before pushing his hips towards the Sligo boy. Instantly Shane groaned in pleasure as he felt Nicky thread his cock deep inside. The sensation of Nicky’s lengthy penis inside him again was just how he remembered it. The warm, fuzzy feeling in his belly as butterflies danced and his heart fluttered in sync to the racing beat. The caressing of his prostate from the tip of Nicky’s weapon, stroking his G-spot was something his wife could never replicate and with every thrust he was in heaven. Slow but powerful, hard thrusts to reduce splashes on the patio.

 

Nicky loved every second as Shane’s tightness hugged his shaft and clenched his helmet so he couldn’t completely pull out. Hearing Shane hiss in pleasure made Nicky smile. The silence was sexy; Hearing every breath Shane took and moan he made over the sound of bubbles tickling their ball sacks. Shane wrapped his own hand around his throbbing stiffness  and rubbed in the pre-cum around the tip but being washed away by the chlorine water. The blonde began to pick up some momentum as he squeezed Shane’s arse cheek with one hand while the other on Shane’s hip steadied him.

 

“Feel good yeah?” Nicky asked, knowing full well Shane’s noises meant he was beyond happy.

 

“Fuck, you feel incredible Nicky.” Shane panted, biting his lip.

 

“Not used to having such a tight hole to destroy anymore... Ah I think I’m gonna come soon.”

 

“Good, I can feel my dick throbbing and I’m not even touching it properly. I need it down your throat. Come for me Nix.”

 

“Ah fuck, yes.” Nicky bolted his hands down on Shane’s waist and pounded him sharp and deep until the sound of Shane’s pleasurable groans and clenching got too much. “Yes... I’m ready, I’m, argh shit. Fuck yeah. Oh Jesus...” he closed his eyes as he felt the warm semen fill the condom as he shot his load inside Shane. “Mmm, that was worth the wait.”

 

Shane turned round to kiss him before he could say another word. It was a delicate thank you snog that felt much more meaningful than the frantic kissing before. “Now I’m gonna do that to your throat. I want you to feel my cum trickle down your neck.”

 

“Best get sat up then and let me get my tongue around your shaft and massage your balls.” Nicky growled in Shane’s ear, nipping at the skin of his neck below his ear. “I won’t waste a drop.”

 

Nodding in agreement, Shane got in position and offered his lips to Nicky before guiding his head between his legs where his soldier was standing to attention, eager to shoot his army.

“My ass is still pulsing. Feels amazing Nicky.”

He got no response other than a thumbs up from the hand previously rolling his bollocks.

“Mmm, that’s nice Nico. How are you so good at that?!”

 

The light nibbling of his cock and caressing of his sack, drove him wild after resisting a wank during the intercourse. With his ass still responding to the friction of Nicky’s wood it wasn’t hard to imagine he was still being penetrated at the same time. Perhaps Kian or Mark would be up for a 3sum during this pact? The thought of a band orgy didn’t cross his mind, assuming it was too far out there but he knew his time with the brunette and other blonde would come soon enough. Right now he was enjoying watching Nicky suck him off in his family’s back garden. Shane grabbed the blonde strands between his fingers and forced him to suck deeper and faster as he bucked his hips into Nicky’s face.

 

“Oh Nix... Mmm, god yeah.”

 

Without being asked Nicky’s hand slipped back down to Shane’s hole and pushed inside to press his prostate. It was too much and Shane could hardly breathe. His legs were tingling and his pulse was racing, adrenalin bubbling up, ready to fire like a volcano. Hot lava exploding from the tip and down the path of Nicky’s throat. Without much warning and nearly choking him with a few last thrusts of his own, Shane orgasmed louder than he had in months, maybe years until Nicky could pull away to swallow.

 

Catching his breath, Shane slid back into the water to keep warm and relax against the wall of massaging jets. “Thank you Nico. That was definitely better than watching a fashion show.”

 

“You’re welcome. It was hot and unexpected but I guess we can say we’ve officially begun the pact and ticked our box.”

 

“I don’t want anything else to change between us Nicky. Your friendship is one the best I’ve known. Just because we can’t repeat that anymore doesn’t mean I won’t stop thinking about it and how amazing it’s been... I really love you man.”

 

“Love you too, Filan. You’ll always be my wingman.” Nicky patted his hand on Shane’s shoulder and glared at the glistening sweat drip down his forehead.

 

Turning to smile at his best friend, Shane nodded. “And you’ll always be mine.”

 

For the following 10 minutes nothing else was said as they calmed themselves down and took in the moment they’d shared together for the last time. They had plenty of time to spare to get showered down and look presentable before the girls got home but it didn’t take long for the boys to pick up their phones and gloat to the boys that they’d already got their end away.


	3. Markian - Mark/Kian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by chooken

Kian hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

It was going to happen, of course.  He'd known that.  Had since Nicky had chanced that cheeky kiss at Christmas and set the whole thing rolling.  Maybe he'd known before he'd stepped through the door.  Hoped.  Through the excitement that they might be Westlife again, there'd been that silver tang on the back of his tongue.  The one that remembered what it had been like, behind closed doors.

He liked to plan things.  Had planned, as much as he'd allowed himself to think about it.  What it would be like.  When it would be.  Who would be first and how they'd do it.  Whether it'd be in the bed he shared with his wife or in a motel somewhere.  In the back of a Range Rover like that time on the way out of Dublin they'd pulled in behind an old barn and Kian had slid down the back seat, sucking kisses all the w...

“Didn't expect to see you.”

“No.”  He rallied himself.  “Erm.”  Mark gave him that lopsided smile, the one that wasn't quite sure either and didn't want to start the conversation beside the pumps, Kian halfway back to his car. He hadn't even noticed Mark until they'd almost run into each other.  Had been too busy sorting through his change.  “Was just on the way back from surfing.”

“How's that going?”

“Yeah.  You know.”  He breathed out.  “Kids are with Jodi,” he said stupidly.

“I'm by myself too.”  Mark picked up the thread.  Kian nodded.  “Music festival with friends for a few days.  I thought about going, but someone had to take care of the dogs and... you know.”  Kian nodded again.

“House must be empty?”

“The quiet's nice,” Mark agreed, and that was Mark all over.  Kian knew they doted on each other but Mark still needed that time alone.  Had always done.  Maybe once Kian had been offended, getting kicked out of his friend's room, but he knew it had never been personal.  “We should catch up when you get time.  I feel like I haven't seen you in ages.”

“How about now?” Kian blurted.  Mark raised an eyebrow.  “I mean, I'm not busy.”

“Me neither.”  It was lazy, hid wariness.  A smile darted across Mark's mouth.  “I did wonder who'd be first.  Thought it might be Nicky, the way he was carrying on.  Thought he'd bang us all out in the same afternoon to prove a point.”

“We still have six months.”

“No time like the present.”  Mark hesitated.  “Unless you don't want to.”

“No!  I do!  I'm just...”  He realised his voice was shaking and swallowed.  A pink tongue darted nervously out to wet red lips.  “It's just been a while.  I'm not...”  He looked away.  “I can follow you to yours?”

“I've got to pay.  You know the way.  I'll catch up with you.”  Mark went to step away, then paused. “Look, I... know we said we weren't going to tell partners but I did mention it.  That things used to be...”  Kian felt his face begin to heat up.  “You know.  Lads on the road.” “He understood?”

“He thought it was hilarious,” Mark chuckled, and Kian had to laugh as well.  “He asked if I thought it'd happen again and I said I didn't know.”

“What did he think about that?”

“What happens in Westlife stays in Westlife.”  Mark shrugged.  “He knows I'm faithful in all the ways that count.  This is just...”  He gestured between the two of them.  Kian nodded in agreement. “It is what it is.”  The half-smile suggested he felt better with that off his chest.  Maybe it was a game for the rest of them, a bit of a guilty pleasure, but for Mark it was his sexuality.  It was more sacred than a bit of bumming between friends.  “Anyway.”

“Anyway,” Kian agreed.  “I guess I'll see you at yours.” Mark nodded and headed inside.

*

He could feel Mark behind him the whole drive.

It was a strange feeling.  He had a slight head start, but as the traffic thinned and they got closer he saw Mark closing in on him in the rearview mirror, a few places back at the traffic lights, then shifting in behind him as they changed lanes, headed out to the lough.

When he finally pulled the handbrake he heard the crunch of gravel behind him.  The sudden silence of both their engines turning off.

“Tea?” Mark suggested, as he pushed open the front door.

“Something stronger?”

“Coffee, then?”

“Ha.”  Kian pushed around him to get to the fridge.  There was half a six-pack on the top shelf.  He tore out a bottle for himself.  “Ta.”

“You're welcome.”  Mark grabbed one too, held it out so Kian could flick the caps off with the bottle-opener on his key-chain.  “Cheers.”

“Cheers.”  The bottles clinked together.  “Where are the dogs?”

“Backyard.”  Kian glanced over.  Saw one asleep on the porch.  The others were nowhere in sight, though there was enough yard for them to play in.

“Remember that time we got hammered and made out on the floor in my room?”

“You got carpet burn all up your back,” Mark laughed.  Kian grinned.  “Yeah.  I remember.”  He smiled fondly.  A hand stretched out, making him flinch.  Mark blinked.  Paused.  Hand almost touching his cheek.  “We don't have to.  Just because Nicky's being Nicky.”

“They already have,” Kian pointed out.  He stepped in.  Rested his cheek against Mark's palm. “They probably never stopped, in fairness.”

“Mm.”  He'd forgotten this.  The tender touch of a thumb just below his eye.  Mark's hands were the same.  They were all different.  Older.  Wrinkles where there hadn't been and stubble they were allowed not to shave, but the touch hadn't changed.  “They can't have all the fun anyway.  They weren't even the ones who started it.  They just jumped on the bandwagon.”

“I don't think you can patent casual sex.”

“We were casual, were we?”

“What were we, then?”  A laugh danced behind Mark's eyes.  He'd stepped closer, somehow.  Kian rested his hand on Mark's arm, used it to guide the touch into a nuzzle.  He exhaled into Mark's palm, felt it warm against his own skin.

“I don't know,” Kian admitted.  “We were...”  Their other hands shifted together, back to back, bottles clinking by their thighs.  “I mean...”

“You were my first,” Mark said softly, and Kian nodded.  His as well.  Maybe he'd been with girls, but Mark had been different.  Secret snogs in his bedroom after school and gasping, silent handies in the toilets, face buried in the collar of Mark's uniform jumper.  “Maybe if things had been different...”

“We got famous.”

“I didn't think we were going to marry each other,” Mark chuckled.  “It was good.  Getting to explore like that with someone I trusted.”  The bottles clinked again.  “Not sure it'll even be like that now.  I'd hope I know what I'm doing a bit more after all this time.  You might need a flip through the manual though.”

“I'm sure the basics haven't changed,” Kian teased.  “Mm.”  He leaned their foreheads together. Looked up.  Mark was smiling.  “You were on Nicky like a shot when he joined the band.  Sure you wouldn't rather him?”

“Are we still arguing about that?”

Kian shrugged.  He hadn't been jealous, he didn't think.  It was just that Nicky had been new, and bright, and wasn't this country kid Mark had known all his life.  He hadn't known how to share, at the time.  Had felt worse about not wanting to, knowing he couldn't keep Mark.  That he didn't really want to.

“I want you.”  It was low.  Kian swallowed.  Mark smelled like heat.  The hand slid to the nape of his neck.  “Like that time on the bus when I ate you out on the sofa and then you sat on my cock.” There was a slight growl in his voice.  Kian felt himself shiver.  “I think about that.  Still think about it.  Shane wandered in looking for his headphones and you didn't care, you just kept riding me...”  He closed his eyes.  Hard, Kian realised, when his hips swayed forward, drawn in.

“I think about the time in Mexico.  The first time you fucked me.”  Kian's voice cracked as he thought of it.  Mark's eyes were open again, blazing midnight.  A finger hooked the neck of his bottle, took it from his unresisting fingers.  They both went on the counter beside them, then Mark's hand was back, caressing his.  Damp with condensation while they wove together.  “You...”  He shivered.  Felt his groin tighten.  Mark was watching him intently.  “Oh god, I didn't know I'd wanted it like that.  It was supposed to be for gay lads but...”

“Does she do it for you?”

“Yes.  Sometimes.  It's not the same.”  Wasn't.  A few fingers or a toy, it wasn't the _same_.  Harsh breaths and the exquisite pain of being stretched and stuffed full.  “Fuck me,” he breathed.  “God, can you just...”

There was a growl.  A slam as he jolted back, colliding with the counter.  One leg up and forced into a hard kiss that was a mess of mouth and tongue, a hand already on his arse, the other yanking him in by the nape.  Sloppy.  Tasting of beer and their hips fumbling into alignment, Mark hard against his thigh, then against his cock.  Denim on denim.  Rough while Kian moaned and sucked down another growl, their tongues fighting in the desperate seal of their mouths.

“What do you need?” Mark managed, in the bare breath between that kiss and the next.  Less messy, now.  Kian bit on his friend's lower lip.  Sucked it into his mouth and felt the hand on his arse squeeze possessively.

“Shower,” Kian gasped.  “I'm okay, I just need...”  The kiss mended again.  A hand tangled in his salt-stiff hair.  “Might need it slow at first.”  Their noses squashed together.  His hand was up Mark's shirt, clawing at the base of his spine, the light dusting of hair that was more masculine and intoxicating than he knew what to do with.  The counter was digging into his back.  He tipped his head back to get a mouthful of air, lost it when Mark began to bite down his throat.  Jesus, he'd forgotten.

How good it was.  How Mark _smelled_.

“Ah...”  His hand clenched in Mark's.  Tighter when he felt-heard a rumbling purr on the collar of his shirt.  When Mark bit at his collarbone, soothed it with a suck and a lick.  Hips darting forward for something to rub against.  “Fuck me.”  He relished Mark's moan.  “Oh god, fuck me.”  Mark began to bite back up his throat.  “You like me saying it?” Kian teased, when he felt stiffness grind against his thigh.  “Fuck me, Marky,” he breathed.  “Fuck my arse.  Like the old days.  When you'd lick me open and take me rough.  Like you knew I liked it.”  A whine of lust.  Kian felt himself throb in response.  “Fuck me.”

“Shower's upstairs,” Mark growled.  “Do what you have to.”

 

*

 

Kian didn't know what he expected when he climbed out of the shower.  It was a small torture. Standing under water a little too cold and coming back out still at half-mast.  Trying not to touch himself while the spray needled across sensitive skin.  Imagining Mark out _there_.  Waiting for him.

He'd not eaten that morning, had already gone to the toilet, so was fairly confident about that.  Still, his heart was hammering with nerves as he finished drying himself off and stepped out into the bedroom, knotting the towel around his waist.

“Hey,” Mark was sat on the end of the bed, still in his jeans and t-shirt, though his shoes and socks were off.  Kian nodded carefully.  Smiled when eyes raked up appreciatively.

“Hey.”  Mark hadn't moved.  “If you've changed your mind...”

“No.  Just...”  He stood up.  “Get on the bed, yeah?”  Kian nodded.  Let the towel drop as he climbed on and crawled across the bed to sit in the middle.  When he turned back around and crossed his legs he realised Mark was licking his lips.  “Been working out?”

“Surfing.”

“Right.  Yeah.”  Mark's eyes darted over him again.  Kian sat.  Didn't mind being looked at.  Not by Mark.  “Well, it's paid off,” he said awkwardly.  Kian smiled back.  Knew what Mark would be thinking.  The same self-conscious crap that had dogged him since school.  “Er...”

“How do you want me?”

“On your stomach,” Mark decided.  Kian nodded and turned over, noting a bottle of lube on the dresser as he did.  “It'll be easier.  If it's been a while for you.”  The mattress shifted while Kian made himself comfortable, and he smiled when a kiss touched to the back of his neck.  Let out a content sigh.  Gentle fingers traced down his shoulderblade.  “Jesus fuck you are sexy.”

“Mm...”  Kian closed his eyes.  Breathed out slowly to relax.  A knot of anticipation swelled in his stomach.  “You too.  Can't wait.”  It was true, he realised.  He bit his lip to stop a moan.  Rubbed himself surreptitiously against the sheets.  Cracked his eyes open and fixed his eyes on the beautiful view of the lough through bay windows, the water catching mid-morning sparkles and turned grey- green.  Another kiss bit at the top of his spine.

Another.  Slow slide of a tongue as Mark wriggled back and traced the knobs of his vertabrae.  His hands clenched on the pillow, breath forced out in a shudder.

“Oh...”  He closed his eyes again.  Felt hands steady him, part his cheeks.  “Oh fuck yes.” “Yes,” Mark whispered.  Blew gently against his hole.  Kian whimpered.  Hips lifting hungrily.

Exposed.  Another breath and he was going mad.  “That's it.”  Kian clenched automatically.  Forced himself to relax.  But oh.

Oh.

“Ah...!”  He sobbed when he felt the tip of a tongue trace up his perineum.  “Don't tease!”  A laugh rumbled against his skin, making it worse.  His knees bent up and out, hips spreading as best they could.  Hard against soft sheets.  Mark's hands unforgiving where they held him open.

The same lick again, flat this time.  He groaned.  Slick heat.  A little further up, where he flattened and creased.  Another lick, this one delving in, passing maddeningly over then up towards his tailbone.  He was pretty sure he was swearing, couldn't hear it over his own heartbeat.

“Mn.”  It hummed into him.  He could feel Mark moving, heard a belt clink then the shuffle of jeans being kicked out of.  “Oh Kian.”  It was breathless.  Another humming gulp as Mark's tongue laved up.  Kian cried out.  Was glad they were in the middle of nowhere with Mark making wet, obscene noises and him making louder ones.  “So fucking hot.”

He sobbed.  Forced his hips back.  Up on his knees a little and face buried in the pillow so hard he was breathing his own moist cries.

One hand slid up, steadied his lower back.  Kian shoved back.  Felt a gentle nibble up the inside of his crack, barely skating his hole.  Torture.  A lick to soothe it.  Up the other side.  Mark's hair tickling his cheeks and nose leading the way.  Buried deep but not _connecting_.  Not like he...

“Mark!” Kian squealed when a tongue did a quick loop around him then began to press forward. The laughed rumbled into him.  He almost felt it in his stomach.  “Mark, ah!”  He was probably going to rip the pillow apart.  Didn't care when he was being impaled on that hot spear of pleasure. It darted out.  Pistoned in again, a sudden jackhammer. He sobbed, rolled his head side to side.

Somehow managed to look under, cheeks hot and eyes leaking tears and saw planted knees, a naked cock, bouncing with every movement.  Full and purpling at the head, as real as he remembered it.

He shoved back.  Again.  Fucking himself onto that tongue while it set its own pace, regardless of his cries.  Felt the hand on his back steady him.  Then a finger...

“God, unh...”  It traced the edge of him, following the tongue.  A momentary dance, and.

“That's it,” Mark murmured.  Kian gulped past the intrusion.  “Christ you're tight.”  It was quiet. Almost muffled.  A roar in Kian's ears.  He felt the clench of animal panic.  The soothing stroke of the hand on his back beginning a slow circle.  “Relax for me.”  Kian tried.  Yelped when the finger slipped deeper, past the first resistance.  Snaked a little more.  The tongue was gone now.  Mark was kissing him.  Loving him open.  He wanted to cry.

“Love you.”

“Love you too,” Mark said gently.  “Breathe in.”  Kian did.  Held it.  “Let go.”

It blurted out.  The finger moved.  Pressed open the second ring of muscle and then oh god he was. Mark was.  And.

“Don't stop,” he gasped.  Felt the finger draw back.  Push in again.  Loosening him.  “Don't stop, whatever you...”  His cock scraped against the sheets, flushing back to life now that his body was past the jolt of confusion.

“Not going to stop until I've fucked you,” Mark promised.  Kian moaned his gratitude into the pillow.  Adjusted his knees to open himself more.  “Forgot what a desperate bottom you are.”

“Forgot what a tease you are,” Kian retorted.

“Well, it's been a while.”  Mark bent over him, heavy, and as he passed Kian caught him in a hard kiss.  Felt a cock nudge the back of his thigh as he did, sending a singing prickle of anticipation into his belly.  Too soon.  A jolt of panic, then he realised Mark was grabbing the lube and relaxed.  Felt the finger slip deeper again and begin to make careful, testing circles against him, a slow spot of pressure.  “There?”

“Yes.”  He shuddered.  Felt his shoulders bleed out their tension as Mark found the rhythm and kissed down his back again.  Had forgotten what this was like, exactly.  A different kind of pleasure. Different nerve endings that started as confusion then solidified into intensity.  Different harmonies building to make a song.

He breathed.  Matched them to his heartbeat.  Felt his toes curl and the slick of lube that trickled in with the next finger pressed and _remembered_ this.  That startling rush of connection, of another person being inside him feeling him open.  Curling a rhythm into his most intimate places, something uniquely Mark and uniquely him, caught in a moment together.

“That's it.”  Soft wonder.  Maybe Mark did this with his boyfriend.  Maybe it didn't matter.  “You're so tight.  So tight, Ki.  Jesus.”  A hand skated under him, checked his throbbing erection, and moved torturously on to stroke down the back of his thigh.  Up again to tickle the hair in the wrong direction.  The leak of Mark's cock against his balls, head tracing them in a tease. “That's it, baby. God, I want you to come while I fuck you.”

“Mark,” Kian choked.  And maybe some things had changed since last time.  Older and more confident.  Still Mark.  Sweet Mark who'd waited until he'd been turned around before taking his pants off.

Two fingers curling against him.  From pleasant to exquisite.  He snarled silently into the pillow. Felt his balls draw up suddenly.  Forced himself to breathe.  At least there were some perks to getting older and not going off like a shot.

“Still so tight.”  He was.  Too tight.  “Can you reach that drawer?”

Kian could.  Fumbled blindly across and yanked it open.

Reached inside.

“That's it.”  He'd pulled something out.  Couldn't see what it was, though he had an idea from the shape.  “You mind if I...?”

“No.”  Kian passed it back.  Long and not that thick, a little more than three fingers, a little less than a cock.  Smooth and narrowed at the top.  Mark took it from his grip.  “It's clean, right?”

“No, Kian, I'm using a dirty vibrator on you.”  The sarcasm dripped.  Kian giggled into the pillow. “I've only used it on myself if that helps.”

“Oh.  Yeah.  Cheers,” Kian agreed dazedly.  The fingers drew out and he knew Mark was applying lube.  “Does he not...?”

“I only bought it last week.  Barely had time to take it out of the packet.”

“Oh.”  He wasn't getting any details.  Probably fair enough.  It was enough that they were doing it in their bed, let alone discussing it while they it was happening.

“I think you'll like it.”  A sudden low hum.  Kian swallowed.  “Ready?”  He pushed back in reply. “Ready?”

“Fuck yes I'm ready.”  He looked over his shoulder.  Saw intense eyes and a soft mouth that lifted in a smile.  Mark's t-shirt still on, though his cock was tilted up past it, bunching the fabric.  He looked beautiful.

Kian licked his lips.  Saw Mark do the same.  Felt slippery plastic touch to him. Then Mark switched it on.

It made him grit his teeth, it was so sudden, a shout whistling out from between them.  His toes curled.  Hands snatched at the sheets.  Mark didn't tease.  Went slow instead.  A careful press that seemed to buzz into him, filling him with a warmth that didn't so much vibrate as shudder him open.  His hips lifted.  Up on his knees and clenching out a prayer while it filled him up.

“Kian?”

“Don't stop.”  His cock leapt.  Core tensed.  “Ah fuck.”

“Not too much?”

“I...”  He wasn't going to come.  Felt like he was already coming as it pressed to his prostate and began that same slow circle Mark had been using with his fingers.  One that hummed up his passage and into his chest.  He could hear it.  Muffled and whining while Mark guided it in and out slowly, rocking it every time he did.  “God, unh...!”

He forced himself up for better leverage.  Off his hands and back on his knees.  Felt Mark almost lose his grip for a second, then regain it.  Sit forward to catch him, Kian's head tipping back onto his shoulder while his friend slipped the vibrator up into him, again and again, picking up pace.

“Shhshh.”  Cock against his arse while he rocked.  Cradled between solid thighs.  He used them for purchase, one hand planted either side while Mark bit tender kisses at his throat.  “Kian.  Fuck you've never stopped being a slut for this, have you?”  Kian didn't deny it.  No point.  Not with his cock slapping against his belly with every ruthless slam of the vibrator.  He felt ridiculous.  Didn't care.  Not with Mark's other arm around his waist, holding him steady.

His hands clenched a warning he couldn't get out in words.  Mark understood.  Pulled it out at the last second.  A moment's hanging silence while he fumbled the condom and wrapped around him again.  Then Kian was yelping, slamming his head back on Mark's shoulder, and bearing grit- teethed through the yank of intensity, his hole forced up and open and pulling Mark in with a clenching cry.

“Fuck me,” he gasped.  Mark already was.  Slamming into him with a reckless fury.  Kian clutched at his arms.  Pulled them around himself until he was held vice-tight, Mark breathing hard against his neck, blasting heat.  His thighs twitched in agony.  Too open.  He'd forgotten.  How it felt to be like this, using the leverage to plant his feet up into a crouch while Mark grunted through him.

“Love you,” Mark growled.  “Love how you feel.”  Kian whined.  Felt balls slap against his, velvet weight.  “Love when you come on me.”  A hand shifted down.  Wrapped around him.  His eyes rolled back, mouth dropping open in a pant as he sucked down what air he could.  Knew he'd be done soon, when Mark began a rapid, breathless pump.  His cock between thick, indelicate knuckles, fingers with hair on the back and bitten nails.  Stubble on his shoulder as Mark urged his orgasm out of him, panting into every agonising thrust.

He was going to tear in half.  He didn't care.

“Ah-ah-ah...!”  he managed uselessly.  Seized.  Felt his hole tighten as his whole body tensed and then the stagger of release.  Helplessness.  Dropping miles into solid arms while he twitched and fell and splattered Mark's hand.

“God yes,” Mark whispered.  Kian laughed brokenly.  Sobbed when the next stroke squeezed out another pulse of sensitivity.  His thighs were trembling with exertion.  Mark was still fucking him. Ragdolling him while he tried to stop himself going limp.

He fell forward.  Buried his head in his arms and bit into his own wrist to stop himself screaming as Mark kept up the pace.  Breathing harder and shit he'd always loved _this_ bit.  Being used like this. A sheath for his usually reserved friend to let go into.

“I'm going to come,” Mark gasped a warning.  “Do you...?”

“Fuck me,” Kian trembled.  “I know you like it.”  He heard the panting turn to the final rapid huffs of climax.  He managed a look back over his shoulder again.  Saw eyebrows drawn in concentration, cheeks stained red.  Eyes so blue they shimmered.  They squeezed shut as he watched.  “Take me rough like that.  Like you used to.”

“Oh g-”  Mark's mouth fell open.  Head tipped back.  And then Kian felt it.  Beneath the muffled roar of Mark's pleasure, the thick pulse of the condom filling.  A small shift that felt like the world.

Mark fell forward, finally, panting.  Kian collapsed under him.  Realised he was giggling.  Mark croaked a laugh too, snuffled into his neck.

A few minutes later, Mark softening out of him and the sweat cooling on his back, he felt a kiss brush at his cheek.

“Not bad for a last time.”

“No.” Fuck, he hurt.  Would worry about that when it came time to stand up. “It's going to be weird.”

“What is?”

“Being on the road.  Knowing we've...” He turned his head, saw smiling blue eyes. “Probably what Nicky meant all along, the little shit.  Trying to kick something long-term off again without letting on.”

“He can try.”

“Yeah,” Kian laughed weakly.  A gentle hand lifted to brush hair from his eyes.  “Mm.”

“Mm,” Mark agreed.  “Hang around a bit if you want.  There's a couple of warm, flat beers on the counter I can offer you.”

“I'd really better head off.”  He didn't want to.  Knew he needed to.  Mark was nodding, though, and Kian knew it wasn't just him who knew it.

“Have another shower.  I'll walk you to your car.”

They washed in companionable silence.  Slipped in together.  Mark even took his shirt off, and Kian stepped out of the way for him to rinse off under the water, his back against the cold tiles and looking at his friend, naked and caught in the spray.

“What?” Mark said, when he caught Kian looking.  Kian just shook his head and stepped under the water when Mark stepped out.

He rolled down the window once he was in the car.  Mark stood awkwardly beside him, crouched down to look inside.

“You want to text them or will I?”

“I can do it,” Kian offered.  He wanted to.  A last moment of evidence that it had happened.  He didn't know if he'd delete the message after.  Probably would.  “I'll probably see you in a bit. Meetings and that.”  Mark nodded.  “Anyway.”

“Anyway,” Mark agreed.  “Nice seeing you.”

“Yeah.”  They both laughed.  “Good bumping into you.”  They exchanged a last, lingering smile that lasted until Kian turned the ignition and Mark stepped out of the way.  He backed up the drive. Honked.  Got a cheerful wave that was swallowed by the trees a moment later.

He was still smiling when he turned on the radio and switched it to Nicky's show.


	4. Shian - Shane/Kian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by ausfil, plot by a1_kitkat

“Hey, Kian,” Shane smiled at him when he opened the door.

Kian nodded back, and at Gillian too. He was about to pull them both into a hug when Shane’s kids ran in to meet his. God, they were loud. “No running, please! You’ll all hurt yourself. Koa, stop- Urgh.” Kian rolled his eyes and brought them back to Shane who was still wearing his warm smile. He kind of hoped Shane would stop. “Anyways. Come in.”

Shane pat him on the shoulder as he walked in.

Kian felt a little nervous. It probably wasn’t going to happen between them today anyway, not with their whole families there. His time with Mark was different. It was a chance meeting. His time with Shane after the band split had always been planned. Family reunion parties and get-together dinners. Organised barbeques with all the kids and wives; a casual feast out in his backyard. It wasn’t about bumping into each other like he had with Mark. Things had changed with Shane. Matured, probably. They were related. It held a different weight.

But Shane kept looking at him with a tentative gaze, a sweet smile that seemed to mean something else today, and Kian had to pinch himself.

While the kids played in the backyard and Gillian kept Jodi company in the living room, Kian found himself alone with Shane in the kitchen. It was the first time since the pact. His toes curled nervously. He watched as Shane’s lips caressed the top of his beer, feeling his guts stir a little, and had to force himself to look away. He tried to focus on this sauce he was stirring.

“So,” Kian cleared his throat. “You and Nicky, huh?”

Shane’s face lit up with recent memory. “Mhm.”

“I knew you two were going to be the first ones.” Shane snickered behind him. “How was it?”

“It was like… just as I remembered, but nothing at all like it at the same time. It was really great.” Shane put his beer down on the countertop and came to stand next to him. A little too close. “How was Mark?”

“Good. Yeah.” Kian swallowed hard. A picture flashed in his eyes – the vibrator, Mark’s fingers, being taken rough like that for the first time in forever.

“Fuck. That good, huh?”

“What?” Kian looked up to a face full of mirth.

“You’re all flustered and blushing.” Shane chuckled. “It’s fine. I get it.”

Kian let out an airy breath with a slight semblance of a chuckle and fixed his gaze on this pan. His stirring felt mechanical.

“Are you okay?”

“Of course.” Kian flicked up a corner of his lip.

Shane studied him in silence for a bit. Eyes fixated on the tics of his face, and Kian used all his might to keep a straight one.

“Look,” Shane sighed, “if you’re nervous about us and… you know. Stuff. We don’t have to like, do it if you don’t want to. If you’re not okay with it.”

“No, I… I want to.” Kian answered honestly. “Maybe not today though.”

“Why not today?” Shane’s hand slipped into his back pocket, a slight squeeze, as lips found a dip in his jaw. Kian whimpered and tilted into the gentle touch. “I want you,” Shane whispered, each syllable of breath branding his skin like invisible tattoos.

“Shane, love…”

Kian wanted to turn to him. To take those lips on his jaw into his own, to feel them dance with his in their own night of waltz. To shove him up against that fridge and make the boy take him all in to the absolute brim, but he shot a nervous glance towards the corner of the kitchen. If one of their wives just turned around that corner, or one of their kids, this would all be over. Shane was surely fucking crazy.

“Kiss me,” Shane breathed another tattoo into his neck.

Kian made the mistake of turning his head slightly, to look into ignited hazel eyes burning through his plexus. He switched the stove off and leaned in, felt familiar lips mould around his and melt the defensive layer covering his heart. His muscles unwired themselves when the hand in his back pocket squeezed and yanked him in closer.

Shane grunted into his mouth, vibrations around his lips shooting a violent shiver down Kian’s spine as he gripped onto the countertop for a sense of himself. Even just a little bit, because God knew he was losing it. Then a hard knob poked at his thigh. Fuck, Shane was getting hard. Kian tightened his grip until his knuckled were flushed white.

He wanted this. He needed this. He really fucking needed this. A part of him thought he wouldn’t as much, not after the incredible night he had with Mark, but _fuck_ , he needed more. More. He needed-

“Daddy, do we have orange juice?”

Koa’s voice. Coming closer from around the corner. They had never moved that quickly before. Shane flew to the other side of the counter, gripping a shaky hand around his beer when Koa strolled in to look inside the fridge.

“Yeah. I think we do.” Kian held back on a sigh and ran his hand through his hair. “Anyways. Shane. How’s um, how’s touring?”

“Uh,” Shane had one eye trained on Koa, the other trying not to look at Kian directly. “I’m off to Singapore next week. So that’s exciting.”

“Oh, nice.” Kian’s voice was trembling a little. He hoped his child didn’t notice. Didn’t think he did when he poured a couple glasses of juice and marched back out. “Jesus,” Kian scrubbed his face and turned the stove back on.

Shane tried to calm himself with a gulp of the beer. Took a deep breath to try and ignore his heart thumping in his throat. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

“No, don’t be. I…” Enjoyed it. Loved it. Missed it. Kian swallowed a mountain of words that he wanted to say and just smiled instead. Kind eyes smiled back from a distance that he didn’t necessarily like.

So it wasn’t going to happen today.

*

“Are you going to stay in the car this time too?” Zekey asked from the back seat.

“Probably.” Kian smirked when his kids laughed.

“You’re a scaredy-cat!”

He had never been a fan of horses. But when Shane dropped him a text when he got back from Singapore to invite his kids over to their family stables, his kids had seemed so excited and who was he to not take them. This didn’t have any ulterior motives. No, it wasn’t so he could see Shane again. Definitely not.

The kids had run off the moment they climbed out of the car to hug Shane. Shane had lifted them both, one in each arm, and nodded at Kian with an odd smile. He passed them onto his father who promised to take good care of them, and they were walking behind them, Kian’s hand firm in his pockets, soil crunching beneath his feet. He looked at Shane’s hands dangling by his sides as they walked. Had to push down the hankering to hold them.

“Zekey’s getting really brave. He was nervous the last time he came.” Shane chuckled at the child who was feeding the horse a carrot, giggling when a long tongue licked his hand. “He’s better than you.”

“How is he not scared that it’s gonna eat his hand or something? It could easily eat his whole head.”

Shane chuckled; music to Kian’s ears. Then he grabbed his arm. Kian looked up, surprised. “Follow me.”

“But they-“

“They’ll be fine with my dad. Come on.”

Kian bit down a smile and let Shane drag him to another set of stables. He opened an empty one in the far corner and led Kian inside. Kian recognised this. God, it had been years since he was in here.

“Is this the one we always got drunk in?”

Shane nodded. “Remember the time we came back from our first Asian trip and Mark hit his head on the wall when he fell over?”

“One too many vodka Red Bulls.” Kian snickered.

This was one of his favourite things about the reunion. When one of them would start reminiscing then it would turn into a train of ‘Remember this? Remember that?’. Something only the four of them could share. It always made him realise just how much he really loved these boys. How much history there was. How many congenial memories they held together. And they were all going to get the chance to do it again. His toes tingled.

“Hey, remember when Nicky threw up there?” Kian pointed at a corner of the stable with stacks of hay. “You were so angry.”

“Do you know how much trouble I got into because of him? My dad was about to kill me! I broke my back trying to clean that up.”

Kian laughed and followed Shane with his eyes when he went to sit down on the stack. He didn’t know if he should sit next to him. He fidgeted with his fingers that were still in his pocket, but when Shane tapped the spot beside him, Kian felt himself moving without a conscious command.

“I uh,” Shane started, a precious heart trying to map out the correct words. Kian waited. “I’m… I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable the other night. I know you said it was okay, but still.”

“It’s fine. It’s not like I didn’t contribute.” Kian shrugged.

“It was kinda great, to be honest. Wasn’t it?” Shane’s hand slipped into his, and when he looked up, it was the same old sweet Shane. Of course it was. He smiled and squeezed back.

“For sure,” he replied as he leaned his head down on Shane’s shoulder. Felt a kiss being brushed in his hair. He wanted another one. “Is it wrong though?”

“What do you mean?”

Kian sighed. “We’re… family. Basically. You’re married to my cousin.”

“That’s never stopped us before.”

“No,” Kian admitted. It hadn’t. “But it feels different now. Both of us have kids.”

“Yeah.” Shane pressed another kiss into Kian’s hair and closed his eyes to breathe in the familiar coconut scent. “Maybe we can just… tell Nicky and Mark that we did it and move on.”

“You’re okay with lying to them?” Kian pulled back a little to look at him. He didn’t pull back enough. Their foreheads were mere millimetres away from touching. He could feel Shane’s breath on his skin, eyes looking so far into his own. Kian gulped.

“They don’t need to know the details.” Shane licked his lips. Eyes darting down to Kian’s lips then coming back up just as quickly. “I… Can I kiss you? I just-“

Kian cut him off and crushed their lips together. Hand grabbing the back of Shane’s head and yanking him in. A rough bite of lips that were fighting for his. Desperate and hungry, Shane moaned all the way to the back of his throat, another moan travelling to the pit of his stomach, and Kian pushed Shane’s shoulder back to make him lie down, straddling him on top without risking a single moment to break this kiss.

Shane clawed at his back, down his sides, and it felt like he had ten hands moving on him at once. Driving him crazy at once. Then a hand scratched all the way down to his jeans, pushing its way past a waistband and squeezing bare skin.

“Urgh,” Kian had to break the kiss. He needed to _breathe_. It all happened too quickly - his mind couldn’t catch up. “Shane. Fuck.”

“Tell me you want this. I know you want it.” Shane growled, hips grinding up against hardened flesh.

“I want it.” Shane grinded up harder, both their jeans about to rip open, and Kian matched the rhythm.

_Beep._

“Fuckin’…” Shane puffed out an angry sigh and peeped at his phone. Fell silent when he read the text.

“Ignore it. Kiss me.” Kian caressed Shane’s jaw and tried to pull his gaze away from the phone.

“My dad says they’re almost done. Your boys.” Shane kind of wanted to cry when Kian’s hand slowly folded along his skin, nails brushing against him as Kian pulled away, as the look in Kian’s eyes was watered down.

“Oh,” Kian licked his lips. Moved off of Shane’s lap and back onto the cold stack of hay. “Right. Yeah.”

“We should… Yeah.” Shane sat up and dumped his face into his hands. He hated this. He wanted more. Knew it was wrong to have more. “It wasn’t right, was it?”

“I don’t think so. Um.” Kian took off his jacket and tied it around his waist. God, his jeans were tight. “I’m sorry.”

“No. It’s fine. It’s for the best.” Shane looked back up and showed a lopsided smile weighted with disappointment. Kian was sure he had the same expression. He put a hand on his shoulder, felt a lump in his throat when Shane’s hand closed around his and kissed the top of it. “Love you, Ki.”

“Love you too.” Kian leaned in to kiss his cheek. “So we’re telling the lads that we did it?”

“Yeah. I’ll text them if you don’t want to.” Shane offered, and Kian thanked him.

They melted into a hug and stayed there for as long as possible. Just breathing each other in and trying to console themselves, to console each other, until Shane’s phone beeped again to tell him that the boys were ready to go. Then they stayed for a little longer.

“Love you,” Kian whispered with another soft kiss.

“Love you.”


	5. Shmark - Shane/Mark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by ausfil.

The sand was soothing in between Shane’s toes. The whispering of distant water even more. And the pink sunset glow washing over the canvas of blue was probably the most beautiful painting he’d ever seen.

He wasn’t quite ready to go home yet. Not when a tsunami of thoughts were sweeping his brain away, his heart the mere muddled crash of the waves.

He settled down and sat on the sand, looked out into the sunset, and ran a slow tongue along his bottom lip. He could almost still taste Kian on them. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, he wasn’t sure. And why he was smiling, he wasn’t sure.

The actual reunion was getting closer by the day. Scarily so. It was getting real. Tangible.

At the beginning, when they had made the pact, he thought it would take ages. He’d still had a tour to complete. The deluxe album and a new single to release. Countries to fly to and promote and perform in. He thought it would never get to this point. But it had hit him in the back of his head within a flash.

To say he had missed the lads over three tours of his own was an understatement. Not that it was bad – it had been euphoric – but it was certainly different to being in a band. He missed the crazy arena buzz on stage. He also didn’t have the option to turn to a soft kiss and a hug for comfort. The slow and tender nights they’d shared for years on the tour bus. Quick stress-reliefs in dressing rooms and sneaky bathroom stalls. Or a rough, vigorous night when he craved it on the beds of international hotels.

And when he got a second chance after last Christmas, Nicky had eased him into it. He had been glad honestly, that Nicky was the first one. They’d always been best friends. They’d always been comfortable. Kind and considerate and passionate with each other through the years when they needed it most.

Then when he got together with Kian. Well, Kian was a different situation. A part of him regretted not going through with it. Regretted not inviting him over another time, just to have another chance. He could never forget the look in Kian’s eyes when they’d admitted it wasn’t right. That empty, crestfallen flicker in sad blues. It still hadn’t been right, but it was nice while it lasted.

Proper release plans had been set in stone now, and he still had one left.

He was the most nervous about Mark. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe because a part of him didn’t really want to run into Mark, for it not to end, because this may be the last time and when Shane thought about that, he could feel his heart sag a bit. So as much as he wanted Mark, he wanted to drag it out. Next week, maybe. Or a few days before they shot the announcement video. As late as possible.

He didn’t want this to be over yet.

_Crunch._

_Crunch._

Shane heard the sand whisper underneath another pair of feet, getting closer to him. He held back a sigh. He wasn’t really in the mood to take a photograph with someone. He looked up anyways, and…

Oh.

Shit.

Wait.

“Shane?”

Shane swallowed hard. Tried to smile without letting his palpitating heart catapult through the gap in his lips. “M-Mark?”

“Hey. Wow. Um,” Mark shyly chuckled and came over to sit beside him, his fist wrapped around his phone, knuckles a little white. “You uh… what are you doing here?”

“I just… came for a walk. You?”

“Me too.”

Shane scoffed and nodded. “Talk about crazy coincidences.”

Mark let out a low laugh, looking out at the beach, lips wriggling but not quite letting the words escape.

“So I um… I saw Kian recently.” Fuck, that wasn’t what Shane wanted to say. Not the first thing he wanted to say, anyway. He wanted to ask Mark how he was doing. How his boyfriend was. How they were feeling before the whole Westlife plane took off again.

“I know, yeah. You told us.”

Shane nodded with a slight bite down of his lip and looked away for a bit, at crashing waves, feeling a slight rush of heat in the veins of his cheeks.

“Was it good?”

Shane raised his gaze back up at his friend. He thought about answering, but the sunset was washing a serene yellow glow over Mark’s face, and Shane couldn’t remember feeling this solaced from a single look. “I missed you.”

Mark stared back in silence, the first veneer of his eyes breaking. Mark laughed it off. Shane didn’t fall for it. “You’ve seen me like two weeks ago or something.”

“Yeah but that was for work stuff. This is different.”

Mark hummed a response. Dampened his lips in the tense, cautious coat of air. The second veneer of those eyes were breaking, and with the way he was looking at Shane, the purest heart worn on his sleeve and shining through those eyes, Shane pinched himself to not kiss him.

But Mark’s eyes were twinkling, like a sky of stars lost in a blue ocean. Those eyes waded down to his lips, then back up to lock into the strongest bond of a gaze. Shane gulped.

Then Mark leaned forward a little. Old impulses never died.

Shane’s body reacted like a reflex, moving towards the man. He had to stop himself from brushing his lips against the tempting pair right in front of his eyes. “No, not… not here. Um.” He quickly looked around the beach. Not a person in sight. Thank god.

“Right. Yeah. Sorry. I… Yeah.” Mark pulled back straight away, and Shane kind of hated that.

He took a deep breath. Tried to calm his nerves by tracing the crashing waves in front of him. By burying his fingers in the sand then sliding them back out. A distraction. It didn’t work. “Is your boyfriend home?”

“He is. Gill?”

“Yeah. The kids too.” Shane tilted his head back with a sigh, crestfallen.

“Fuck,” Mark breathed. He sank in thought accompanied by Shane’s groan, until he raised an eyebrow. “I mean… I um. I do have my car if…”

“Your car?” That… probably wasn’t a good idea. But Shane recalled the last time they had fooled around in Mark’s car years ago; cramped but intimate, sweat, heat, Mark moving inside him and clutching onto his hair as his face was shoved against the car window. A wonderfully broken back the next morning where he could feel Mark with every step that he took. Yeah. He could definitely do that again.

“Mm. If you want.” A dear flash of shyness, self-consciousness, mixed with a firework of confidence that Shane couldn’t remember from their early days. Something that had developed in the deepest roots of Mark over the years, that the other three had witnessed grow and bloom. He was proud of that. “For old time’s sake?”

“For old time’s sake,” Shane repeated, a swirl of sweetness in the back of his throat. “It’s dark enough.”

They both looked up at the velvet sky, at its grey wrinkles and plucked diamonds. It was dark enough.

*

Mark drove around the small town to find this secluded alleyway. He had wanted a quiet day at first, in the morning. Just a day in the Sun, walking his dogs, cuddling with his boyfriend and maybe a book in the evening. But here he was, in the back seat of his car, their shirts abandoned, on top of a small boy who was devouring his lips, his jeans feeling impossibly tight. He wouldn’t change anything about this.

Mark moved down, sloppy kisses down a prickly chin, each swirl of his tongue bringing out a soft moan from Shane’s swollen lips, until he caught a hard nipple in his mouth. Mark teased for a bit. Just teeth scraping against it ever so lightly, then smoothing it with a lick, then scraping again.

“Fuck,” Shane cried and arched up towards him, “just bite it. Fucking… Something. Please. _Do_ something.”

Mark smirked. Gave the nub a squeeze. “You want me to bite it? Is that what you want?” A teasing lick. “You want me to hurt you?”

Shane made a noise that sounded like a tearful whimper, something so aching in the deepest corner of his soul, and Mark felt guilty that he had forgotten this feeling for a while.

The first time Shane had asked to hurt him, Mark hadn’t known what to do. If it was okay to do that. But Shane had been panting against his skin, each breath nowhere near as hot as every whisper of desperation, of every “please, Mark” that melted his brain. Then the first time he had slapped Shane’s ass leaving handprints, the first time he’d bitten down on peachy skin, the pure euphoria gleaming from Shane’s face was more than enough to forget the crazy world they were living in.

“Please. Yes. Bite it, just-“ And Mark obliged by clenching his teeth around the sensitive nipple. Shane jolted against him, cried out to the roof of the car. Then Mark let go. Left him hanging there. It was always fun to tease Shane. That desperate look on his face was priceless.

He pulled down his jeans to his ankles, Shane’s too, cramped against the roof of the car, while Shane flipped over on his stomach, reaching around and running his fingers down his own ass crack, a rush over his entrance.

“Been a while?”

“Well, Nicky. Kian. It feels like a while though. Gillian doesn’t… yeah. Which is fine, like. It’s her choice. I do it when I’m alone.” Shane didn’t put a finger in yet, just gentle massages suiting himself, and Mark knew what he was waiting for. He licked his fingers, coated them well enough before guiding Shane’s hand away and pinning it against his back.

“You’re not alone today.”

Shane gasped when a finger slid in. Mark was good. He was always so good, as were all the boys. Mark asked if it was okay to add another finger. Yes. God, yes. He was okay. Then the second one came, not long before the third, and Shane tried to grind his hips against the leather car seat. The stickiness wasn’t helping him but _shit_ , he needed something. Anything. Because Mark’s fingers were thicker and longer than his, reaching places that he would never be able to reach on his own.

He missed this. He really fucking missed this.

He heard Mark’s soft grunts to a clumsy rhythm, and when he turned his head to look, Mark was working his own shaft, a hard length that he needed in him right now or he was going to burst.

“Fuck me.” Shane panted. Flinched when the fingers were drawn out of him. “Let me ride you.”

Mark stumbled to reach for his wallet and fetch a condom with a lube packet to roll onto himself, and while he was doing that, Shane sat up, wiped his forehead with the back of his hand before getting up on his feet, awkwardly standing against the constraints of the car.

“Sit,” he said.

Mark did and almost lost every strand of his breath. Shane straddled him by his knees, arms wrapped around his neck, slowly sinking down on his cock.

The moan that stringed out from the pit of Shane’s stomach when he sank until he was filling the man to his absolute brim, the wriggle of hips to adjust, the way Shane looked at him with a bushfire burning behind those hazel spheres, and now the gentle bobbing of Shane’s body, up and down, a tight grip around his length, Mark thought he could lose his entire mind.

“God, you’re so…” Mark squeezed his hands around Shane’s sides, breathed into a strong chest that he always remembered to be a safe home for him ever since they were in school right up to their late thirties, and it was still his home. Still an unconditional source of comfort. A tangible sense of himself that he could find through familiar skin, through flashes of memories.

Shane shut him up with a kiss. Rough and desperate as lips fought for each other, Shane still riding him but going faster, rolling and dipping at the right angles, at the perfect speed and pressure. Mark had to break away to _breathe_.

He reached down to squeeze Shane’s thigh, fingering bruises in it, and snapped up his hips to meet the rhythm.

“Ah!” Shane arched into him, and Mark buried his face to the hairy chest in front of him again, taking in the scent, taking in the gentle tickles against his cheeks, the fast beats of the heart beneath it.

Mark didn’t take his hand off Shane’s thigh. He wanted to leave a mark. Something that Shane would see and remember tomorrow morning when he woke up, of what this was, of what this meant. He wanted to leave more marks.

He dug his teeth into the skin of Shane’s chest.

“Yes…” Shane hissed, hand on Mark’s nape to pull him in closer. He voiced a husky snarl when the teeth bit harder, grinding, gritting, hurting. And when Mark finally pulled back, Shane longed for it all over again.

Mark ran his fingers over it, the stark purple outline that he wanted to take a mental picture of. He smiled to himself and looked up at Shane who was already looking down at him, a satisfied smirk decorating the most perfect face.

“I missed you,” Shane uttered.

“I missed you too,” Mark crooned back and thrust his hips again which changed the temperature of Shane’s eyes in a split second. It ignited them. He pounded up. Up. Up. Up.

Shane’s eyes were rolling to the back of his skull as he braced a hand on the car roof, a grunt escaping his heart with every powerful thrust hitting all the right places, and _god_ , he didn’t want this to be over. But it had to.

“Mark, I’m gonna come.”

“Not before I do. Hold it,” Mark growled against his ear and pounded into him harder, faster. A hurricane blew through Shane’s mind, but he listened. He would always listen.

Shane writhed on top of him, hand still propelled up against the roof, and bent down to rest his aching head on Mark’s shoulder, whimpering. Actual tears brimming in his eyes as Mark fucked him mercilessly, but with a caring hand placed on the back of his head, Shane listened.

Then Mark arched up, was engulfed in the delicious constricts of Shane completely, and released into the condom. Stars were lighting up Shane’s eyes, and Mark bit down on a proud smirk, touching the red hard length that was bobbing against his stomach this entire time, following order.

“Whenever you want, love,” Mark kissed the bite mark he had left on Shane’s chest and pumped his cock until he finally got his sweet relief. He came into Mark’s hand, squirting some on Mark’s torso.

“Fuck…” Shane deflated, eyes closing, and pulled his friend into a hug, digging his face in the crook of Mark’s neck.

Mark draped his arms around the man. He was still inside him, viscous liquid oozing out of the condom, but none of them wanted to move. The soft breaths against Mark’s neck was quite possibly the most healing breeze through his system, the arms holding him making up for all the years they lost.

Both of them could stay like this forever and not regret a single thing.

“I don’t want to go home,” Shane whispered.

“Me neither.”

Shane stayed in his arms for a little longer, before he pulled back. “Is this three out of three for you too?”

“I haven’t seen Nicky yet.”

“Right.” Shane nodded, a mixture of light on his face that reflected sadness, satisfaction, and everything in between. It was complicated, but Mark got it. He was sure the light was reflecting the same things on his face too. “I… This can’t happen again this time around, ay? Things have to be different?”

There was a specific answer he wanted to hear, but Mark wasn’t sure if he could give it. He wanted to. “Well, it’s… Yeah. I guess so. We’ve grown.”

Shane nodded again with a weighted sigh, sucking on his bottom lips, shoulders and eyes drooped. Mark felt his heart hurt. “Yeah. I suppose you’re right.”

Mark hummed and reached up to run his fingers through Shane’s hair. Smiled when Shane tilted into it. He trailed his hand down to cup Shane’s jaw line, brushed a soft kiss against those lips. When he pulled back a little, Shane still had his eyes closed, hand coming up to wrap around Mark’s, nuzzling in his palm, like he was trying to take it all in. Trying to memorise every feeling and store it deep down. Mark wanted to cry all of a sudden.

“We should tell the rest of the lads,” Shane opened his eyes and spoke.

“Yeah. We should.” Mark smoothed Shane’s hair again. He didn’t want to let Shane go yet. And Shane certainly didn’t want to go yet. “Just hold me for a little longer.”

Shane wrapped his arms around him again in a heartbeat, face against his shoulder, and Mark hugged back, closing his eyes.


	6. Kinicky - Kian/Nicky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by chooken.

Nicky didn't want to admit it, but from the moment he got close to Sligo he was looking out for Kian.

He tried not to make it obvious.  It was a strange thing, driving from Dublin.  He'd done it a hundred times before.  A thousand.  Sometimes all shoved in the back of a van, sometimes behind the wheel of his own car, radio blaring and one of the others ahead of him, taking secret side roads to avoid traffic and him grateful for the inside knowledge.

He'd come a handful of times in between, since it had all stopped.  Followed the 2fm Roadcaster up the motorway and watched familiar villages peel back from hedges and stone walls.  Hadn't bothered to contact the lads, to make an effort to see them.  Not because he didn't want to, but because he was working, and because if anyone saw them it was more rumours than were worth it.

It felt stranger now.  Knowing a secret.  Those whispers from the handful of people who knew as well.  Jenny shooting him sidelong glances whenever The Reunion would come up and he'd say 'course not, no plans' and go back to sipping his coffee to hide whatever truths might cross his face.

But waiting for the old days to come back was it's own special purgatory.  And maybe that was what had made him say it, those months ago.  A bit tipsy and emotional and excited and wanting a way to start some of the madness again _right now_ because it was better than standing on the blocks waiting for the starter's pistol to go off.

His phone beeped on the seat beside him, though he waited until the next red light to take a look.  Quickly swiped across the screen and peeked over before traffic could move again.

_Heard you were on location ;-)_

Nicky snorted.

It was ten minutes before he was able to reply.

_Thought I'd look up Feehily :)_ he replied cheekily.  Traffic was still stalled at the intersection, so he had a few minutes.  The reply was almost instant.

_Too early. He'll be asleep._

_Is that where you left him?_ Nicky tapped back.  Could almost hear Kian's dry, open laughter on the other end.  It had been a few months since Kian and Mark had done the deed, but there was no harm teasing.  Once, they'd said.  Once each to close things over.  Nicky wasn't sure how well that was supposed to work, considering he'd been thinking about Shane in the hot tub ever since, but neither of them had started anything.  Maybe it really had been the end.

The production team was already there when he arrived.  A pretty spot, an hour or so south of Sligo at Enniscrone.  There were already people along the beach, in orange vests, picking up litter.  He wondered if Kian was with them or if he was still on his way in.

He was still wondering when he climbed into the Roadcaster.  Still wondering when the show began.  No sign, though when he sent another message during the adverts he got a short reply letting him know it'd be five minutes.

He was about to send out a search party when there was a knock at the door and an assistant peered in.

“No thanks, we don't want any.”

“Fuck off Nicky,” Kian shot back.  Nicky grinned.  Pulled him into a quick hug.  “What are you like?” Kian whispered.

“Don't know, what am I like?” Nicky murmured back.  Felt a hand surreptitiously sneak between them before Kian was pulling away to say hello to Jenny.  Nicky sat down quickly.  Crossed his legs.  Kian sank into the other chair, lazy in sandals and washed-out jeans.

“That's your cleaning up clothes, is it?”

“Been out here since dawn, thanks very much,” Kian shot back.  “Think I'd be used to it, cleaning up your crap for twenty years.”

“Ooh, he's sassy today.”

“Thirty seconds, lads,” Jenny sighed, though she was smirking a bit and rolling her eyes.  “Reunion talk?”

“What reunion?”

“Ha.”  They all quietened down when the producer came over to get Kian mic'd up.  Not that half the staff didn't know anyway, with Nicky having to take substantial time off and being in constant meetings all the time figuring out how things were going to work once his other job kicked back in.

A month left.  One more month of having to keep his mouth shut.

The interview went well.  The two of them had always had good banter.  There was something easy about it.  Not like early on when he'd felt surprisingly awkward interviewing Shane for the first time.  He suspected if the reunion hadn't come up he'd be comfortable doing this, at least for a few more years.  Still, there was nothing like this.  Teasing and banter and memories with one of the few people in the world who knew how it had really been.

Kian popped off after the interview.  Went out to do pick up straws or cups or whatever, take photos for the initiative.  Nicky wondered if maybe today wasn't going to happen after all, but it was as they were packing up, him lingering and trying to find an excuse to wait longer, that he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“Breaking for lunch,” Kian said simply.  Nicky nodded.  “Couple pics for the fans?”

“Sure.”  He'd noticed them lingering around.  They posed for a bit, signed some stuff.  Took a quick snap for Instagram and for the RTE publicity team.   Half the cars had left.  The Roadcaster was trundling awkwardly toward the motorway.  “How long's your lunch break?” Nicky asked, as Kian went to hug him goodbye.

“Er...”  Kian glanced at his watch.  “That's it, actually.”  Nicky deflated.  Maybe it had been just banter after all.  “I'll probably knock off around three.”

“Oh.”  Two hours.  “Um... wait there.”  He jogged over to Jenny, explained that they were going to do some reunion talk and he might stay a bit, would see her at work the next day.  When he jogged back over Kian was shrugging his orange vest back on.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Nicky agreed.  “Always had a thing for the bin man,” he added.  Kian laughed.

“I'd leave it on, but it smells like fish and old rubbish.”

“Sexy.”  He stuck out a hand.  “Nice seeing you, Kian Egan.”

“Nice seeing you, Nicky Byrne.”  They shouldered into a hug.  “Drive toward the golf course, I'll text you in five.”  Nicky shivered.  Breath on his neck.  He resisted the urge to rub himself against his friend.  Kian let go.

Four minutes later, the coast drifting away on his right, his phone beeped.

He followed Kian's instructions.  Found himself navigating into a narrow lane between two fields, passing a farmhouse, though when he turned a left and pulled in behind a tree there was nothing much to see but leaves and crops and the occasional fluffy cloud.

Twenty minutes later a familiar van pulled in behind him and sat, idling.

Nicky sat as well.  Not sure either.  Whether he was supposed to get out, or whether Kian was.  Realised he was nervous.  Unclenched his hands from the steering wheel just as the engine of the other car cut out and it went silent, there in the middle of nowhere, anticipation prickling up his neck.

He saw movement.  Kian, climbing out.  Going round to the back of his van and climbing in.  Then he was gone again and Nicky was sat there still.

Fuck it.

He scrambled out of the car.  Was around the back of the van and clambering in before he could even lock his own car.  Pressed the fob and heard a faint beep as Kian closed the doors behind him.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Nicky agreed.  “Fancy,” he added.  He'd seen it before, but not like this, all done up.  A sheeted mattress that was a little unsteady under his feet, cushions creating a comfortable nest, perfect for nights at the drive-in or bonfires at the beach, he assumed.  A surfboard was secured to the wall of the van; a bag sat in the corner that probably contained a wetsuit.  A string of unlit fairy lights draped across the ceiling.

“Get you anything?”

“Scotch and a cheese platter?”

“I'll get the butler on it,” Kian drawled.  Nicky sniggered.

“Never thought of you as having a shagging wagon.”

“Eighteen year old me is elated.”  Kian shrugged off his jacket.  “How you want to do this?”

“Romantic.”  Nicky raised an eyebrow.  Kian sighed.  “This how you treat all the boys you're with?”

“Just the ones who used to do me up the arse when nobody else was available.”  It came out oddly kind.  Nicky shook his head as a hand slid into his.  “Hey.”  A finger hooked his chin, bringing their gazes together.  Soft blue eyes appraised him.  “I got it.  You and Shane had a thing, and me and Mark were...”  He shrugged.

“You and Mark.”

“Mm,” Kian agreed.  He rubbed their noses together, making Nicky smile.  “We had fun though.”  They had.  Had never had the intensity of Kian and Mark, nor the rawness of he and Shane.  They'd always laughed together.  Done stupid, competitive things because there were no hard feelings and a safe place to fall.  His hands fell to pluck Nicky's shirt buttons open.  “Mark's looking forward to seeing you, by the way.”

“He say that?” Nicky was surprised.

“No.  Just... he's Mark.  Think he'll throw the moves at you.”

“The old Feehily special?  Watch a movie and get me drunk?”

“You saying it doesn't work?”  Kian slid Nicky's shirt off his shoulders, bent to lick a stripe up Nicky's collarbone, then back down, nibbling while Nicky tilted into it in pleasure and let his fingers weave into loose hair.

“He always gets nervous,” Nicky chuckled.  Reached for the hem of Kian's shirt.  Began to tug it up, revealing a flat stomach and hard nipples.  Kian pulled away to allow it over his head.  “Nice,” Nicky commented.  Moaned softly when Kian pressed against him, warm and firm.  His arms looped around a tapered waist.  “Then he gets horny and forgets he's nervous.  Better than Shane, coming over all sweet then going full sex-pest the moment he knows he's in.”

“Don Juan Filan?  I'm familiar.”

“I've missed them.”  Nicky leaned their foreheads together.  “Missed you.”  An affectionate smile pecked against his mouth.  Kian's hips were starting a lazy rock, and Nicky shivered at the familiar slow-grind of two ridges through denim, the confined roll of hard flesh against his own.  A bite nipped at his bottom lip.

“How do you want to do this?” Kian teased again, a hand settling on his arse to bring them tighter together.  Nicky moaned.  Let his chin rest on Kian's shoulder and closed his eyes at the old sensation of it.  Of solid _man_.  Not the clambering and groping of he and Shane.  Nor how it was with Mark, emotional and bending at barriers.

He and Kian had always been on equal footing.  Knew what this was better than anyone, he suspected, though he stopped thinking about that around the time hands slid between them and undid both their jeans.

“Get on your back,” Nicky decided.  Kian stepped away.  Sank down onto the mattress Nicky had been trying not to stumble on for the last few minutes.  “Any requests?”  Kian shrugged.  “Come on.  All this time you'd never thought about what you'd do if we got back together?”

“That's the trouble,” Kian laughed.  “How do I pick?”  Nicky snorted.  Clumsily kicked off his jeans and crouched awkwardly until he was knelt astride Kian, the denim of his friend's unzipped jeans against his arse.  “You're stunning.”  A hand stroked reverently from his throat to his navel.

“Been boxing.”

“I saw.”  Kian was beautiful too.  Built like the water, fluid and strong.  Nicky bent to kiss brown nipples, tasted sweat and musk.  “Mm.”  Lazy roll of hips, fingers in his hair.  A hand snuck between them, catching him up.  Clever thumb swiping at the head.  “Did you fuck him?”

“Shane?  Yeah,” Nicky breathed.  Scraped teeth down Kian's throat.  Too good.  Simple.  Luxuriating in the feeling of strength and heat while Kian started a slow stroke.  “Did you?”  Kian shook his head.  “Did you want to?”

“I don't know,” Kian admitted.  “It was intense.  We didn't have much time and we just kinda...”  He groaned.  Reached down to pull his cock free of his fly.  Nicky felt the head rub against his arse, velvet and sticky, while Kian worked him with the other hand.

“You want me to tell you about it?”  Kian hesitated.  Nicky kissed him hard, deep.  Spread his thighs a little to let his bollocks touch to a flat belly that undulated beneath him with the rock of Kian's hips.  “You wanna fuck me?” he whispered.  “Do you?”

“Oh, just...”  The cock against him pressed harder, finding the crease of his arse.  Nicky moaned.  Erotic brush of promise.  “Tell me,” Kian decided.  Nicky licked against his mouth, shivered a cry when he felt a hard press against his slit.  Kian sniggered.  Nicky did too, and lowered his mouth to Kian's ear, teasing an exhale across it to feel Kian respond.

“Fucked him in my hot tub,” Nicky whispered.  Kian hummed.  Careful interest.  “You know what he's like.  Starts talking like a sailor.”  They both giggled.  “He was so tight,” he added.  “I wanted to eat him out first but he kept begging for it, so I just shoved it in.  God he can be such a whore.”  Kian groaned.  “How you wanna do this?” he teased.

A sudden growl.  Nicky laughed in surprise as arms caught him and he was rolled.  Caught underneath his friend and pinned into a hard kiss.

“Tease,” Kian grumbled.  He was trying to kick out of his jeans.  Nicky helped.  Caught the crotch with his foot so they could push them off together.

“You're the one thinking about someone else.”  He yelped when a hand grabbed his wrist and yanked him over onto his front.  “Hey!”

“Thought you were a fighter now?”

“Boxing, not wrestling!” Nicky laughed.  Teeth latched hard to the back of his neck, sending him limp with pleasure  Knees caught his hips, and he shuddered when Kian lowered against him, rubbing to his arse.  “Oh,” he gasped.  Hands around his wrists, holding him down.  “Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Mm...”  The hands opened, slid up to intertwine their fingers.  Slow rut he met with his own hips, starting an intoxicating rhythm, his own cock against the sheet, Kian breathing faster down the back of his neck.  “You wanna fuck me?” he urged.  One hand unlaced to drop.

“Just wanna... Oh Nicky.”  Finger circling him.  “Missed...”  The other hand left as well, then Kian was grabbing a cushion.  Nicky lifted to let it under him.  Felt hands slip reverently down his hips, then spread to thumb him open.

He meant to say something about how he'd been in the car and station all day, that he was sorry in advance if it wasn't one hundred percent down there, but when Kian bent and licked a growling stripe up him he suspected it wasn't an issue.  Certainly not when another stripe came and Kian buried himself in Nicky's lifted and exposed arse, breathing in deep.

“Yes.”  Clever tongue poking at him, starting a circle.  “Oh yes,” Nicky groaned.  Kian pushed a hand under him, found him again.  Nicky grabbed another cushion for something to hang onto, somewhere to bury his whimpers as the pleasure increased and fingers tugged his balls, pulling all the tension downwards and making him cry out.  “Condoms.  In my jeans.”

“That so?”

“I fucking knew I was visiting, didn't I?”  An open laugh echoed through the van in response.

“Lube in my bag.”

“That so?” Nicky shot back.  He reached awkwardly for Kian's bag while his friend fumbled around in the pocket of the jeans that had landed closer to the doors.  Then Kian was back on top of him.  Biting his neck again and plucking the lube out of Nicky's unresisting fingers.  Wet, slick touch, then in, forcing the air out of him in a surprised punch.  He groaned.  Felt Kian wriggle deeper, searching out his prostate.

“Tell me when it's good,” Kian purred.  Nicky moaned.  Grabbed Kian's free hand and squeezed it tighter when he felt the edging pressure of rough fingertips against the spot, starting a determined rub.  “Tell me if it hurts.”

“Hurts.  Good,” Nicky managed.  Kian growled a laugh into the back of his neck while Nicky bit off a cry into the crook of his own elbow.  Spreading and teasing.  Just like Kian, carefully efficient, finding the seams of him and easing them open until he couldn't remember not wanting it.  Forcing back.  The same sort of low intensity he half-remembered from getting his tattoo, so many years ago.  Aching warmth and the prickle of something forbidden.

Kian didn't let go of his hand.  Cradled his grip while he pressed deep a final time and pulled away.  Nicky could feel him adjusting himself, the concentrated silence as he rolled on the condom left-handed, then settled back against him, knees holding his weight and chest pressed comfortingly to Nicky's shoulders.

“Nicky,” he whispered.  Nicky gulped.  Pressed back and closed his eyes.

“Anh-”  His hand tightened in Kian's.  Tight.  Too long without this but oh god, not bad.  Like remembering.  Every bit of it.  The hard and the good and the painful and the wonderful.  The feeling of his friend, of someone who knew him without question.  Wrapping around him and easing the way.

Kian didn't ask if he was okay.  Left it for him to say if he wasn't.  Nicky appreciated it.  Appreciated it more when Kian stopped, halfway in and breathing hard on his shoulder.

“Don't.  Move.”  It came out through gritted teeth.  Nicky cackled absurdly.  Couldn't help it, except Kian was laughing too, a little strained and trying to hold himself still.

“Thought you were too old for that?”

Teeth bit hard into his shoulder.  Nicky yelped, tried to twist, though Kian's weight held him still.

“I love you,” Kian said, “but if you keep messing about this is going to be over really soon.”

“Compliment?”

“Why not.”  Shuddering sigh.  “Oh Christ.”  He lifted himself a little off Nicky's back.  Edged back in as far as he had before, halfway in and still so good.  “Oh Christ Nicky.”  Another shallow thrust.  “That good for you?”

“Yes,” Nicky breathed.  Tried not to push back and ruin it but god it was hard.  “Just... oh.”  His eyes fluttered when he felt the nudge against his prostate, the depth and angle perfect when he shifted on the pillow just so.

It was better than he remembered.  Different.  More, maybe.  Sweeter and richer.  Experience, maybe, or just he'd forgotten, but either way when Kian lifted Nicky's hand to his mouth and kissed the back he felt better than he had in ages.  Totally carnal and sexual in a way that had nothing to do with romance and everything to do with the man on top of him, finding the spot he'd forgotten to find in himself.

“I'm gonna come,” Kian said casually.  Nicky purred.  Spread himself a little wider and rocked up.  “Oh fuck, hold it there.  That's...”  Spare hand on his hip while Nicky fucked against the cushion, just enough stimulation to not quite get there.  “Fuck.  Fucking hell nnng...”  A sudden bark of pleasure, a jolt of entry that went deeper than before.  Nicky whined.  Felt their grip become almost painful and the spasm of heat that said Kian was going.  That said he was done, gasping and sweaty and collapsed against Nicky's back.

He pulled out, slowly, both of them moaning in unison, Kian's hand steadied on his lower back.  The grip left his.  Raked an affectionate touch down his spine.

“Did you...?”

“No,” Nicky admitted.  Let Kian roll him reverently over and shuddered at the fingers that trailed up his cock before starting a slow pump.  “Kiss me,” he pleaded.  Shuddered at the practiced hold, shifting knuckles.  Kian settled astride him, bent down, his moving fist between them.

“Kiss you?”

“Dickhead.”  Nicky glared.  Kian grinned and snogged him hard.

Afterwards, snuggled up on the mattress, Nicky kissed sweaty hair that smelled of the sea.

“S'pose you better get back to it.”

“S'pose I'd better.”  Kian looked up.  “That was good.”  Nicky raised an eyebrow.

“Just good?”

“Really good,” Kian amended.  Nicky snorted.  “And seeing you.  That was good too.”  They beamed awkwardly at each other.  “Er...”

“I mean, we'll see each other in about a month anyway.”

“Can't believe we're back to it.”

“Starting the whole thing off again.”

“Well, not the whole thing,” Kian joked, though Nicky noticed the questioning look when he laughed, the same one he knew he was wearing on his own face.  “I'm almost out of battery.  You mind texting the lads?”  Nicky agreed that it would be fine.  “Cool.  Ta.  Erm...”  He looked flummoxed at what to do next.  Nicky felt about the same.  “So... get out of my van.”

Nicky did.  Wasn't sure how long he'd been in there but it was still a warm, slightly overcast day.  He headed back to his car.  Kian climbed into the driver's seat of his own.  Gave Nicky a friendly honk and began to back out so Nicky could do the same.

They split up as they left the lane, Nicky south and Kian north.  He heard a soft toot over his shoulder.  Returned it.  Flicked on the radio and wondered, idly, what it would be like to hear himself there again, and not just on the flashback rotation.

He supposed they'd know soon enough.


	7. Marcky - Mark/Nicky

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by SwedishGirl

Shane gave Nicky a farewell hug and whispered:

"Last chance, remember."

Nicky nodded and then he gave Kian a hug as well.

"Give him a drink. Get him to relax. It'll be grand, I tell ya." Kian mumbled and patted his back.

"I know." Nicky said with a wide grin.

Mark was already gone, and Nicky ran out of the room to catch up.

 

*

 

The text messages had kept coming in, leaving less and less pairings on the list. Everyone had had sex with everyone by now, except for Nicky and Mark. Nicky wasn't sure why they’d had such a hard time finding a time and place. It wasn't like them. At first it had just been a matter of not finding the time. But then, they had met at so many occasions during the preparations for the reunion. But Nicky had felt surprisingly uncertain about how to go through with it. After all, it had been six years since last time, they had both gotten older, and Nicky felt like maybe Mark wasn't quite the same awkward boy that Nicky would be able to impress anymore. Nicky didn't quite feel he had the advantage of a supreme confidence anymore, Mark seemed very happy and content with things nowadays. Nicky's biggest asset had always been his boyish charm and his youthful energy, but now he had reached 40 and his hair was slowly beginning to turn grey. He didn't quite feel as that energetic sexy toy boy anymore. He didn't even want to admit it to himself but somewhere deep inside he was a bit worried that he wouldn't be able to give Mark what he wanted anymore.

 

*

 

Mark had heard the cheeky tone in Nicky's voice and seen the playful winks he had given him throughout the day. He knew that tonight was probably their last chance. And he knew that Nicky knew too. He didn't know how to feel. It had been six years. Mark had managed to have sex with Kian without even letting Kian see him naked. And the car sex with Shane hadn't offered much of an opportunity for Shane to see much either. But he knew Nicky would want differently. Nicky always tried to encourage him to be proud of his body and always wanted to see him and touch him everywhere and... Mark had lost a few pounds recently, just to look good and feel confident for the reunion photos and videos. But he was still much taller and bigger than the others and he still felt big and clumsy next to Nicky.

He was tired when he said goodbye to the lads. He couldn't bear to watch the cheeky grin on Shane’s face and the meaningful winks from Kian, so he just gave them each a quick hug and left. Nicky caught up with him in the lobby and they shared a taxi. It was late in the evening when they arrived at Mark's apartment.

Mark invited Nicky into the kitchen and put the kettle on. Tea was always a good start.

The atmosphere was weirdly tense. The playfulness from earlier was gone. Mark wouldn't look Nicky in the eyes. Nicky didn't even know how to start a conversation, which was very rare.

"Nice kitchen." Nicky said.

"Thanks."

"Designed it yourself?"

"Nah. Sort of. I hired someone. Told them what I like and what I didn't like. And they came up with suggestions."

"Love the colors. The blue and the green."

"Yeah."

"Last time I was here, this was still pretty...not finished."

"Mhm."

More silence.

Mark chewed on his lip.

"Can I see the rest of the house?"

"Of course."

They brought the teacups with them and went upstairs.

Nicky really liked the interior. It was so much Mark. Black, blue, green and white. Masculine yet neat. Classy but in a down to earth kind of way. Nothing was over the top, everything was very well thought-out.

 

*

 

Mark had shown Nicky around for the good part of an hour now and Nicky had been asking questions about everything from where he'd gotten the pillows to why there was a painting of a white horse in the living room. Now Nicky was out of questions and Mark was out of energy.

They were standing in the kitchen again, empty teacups in hand.

"So..." Nicky nodded.

"Yeah..." Mark said, looking down into the floor.

The silence was awkward. Something Nicky wasn't used to.

“More tea?”

“Yeah. Please.”

Mark poured them another cup and Nicky sipped it carefully.

"You know, we don't have to do it. We could just say we did it. We could just send the lads a text saying it was fantastic. Because I'm sure it would've been." Nicky tried.

Mark looked him in the eyes properly for the first time.

"You don't want to do it?" he asked, looking very uncertain.

"Hell yes. I want to do it, alright. But I don't want you to feel that this was forced upon you, you know. I know you're happy now and I understand if you can't do this."

Mark took a deep breath.

"I... It's not about that... It's... I don't know..."

Nicky was not good at keeping quiet, but after all these years he knew that sometimes he just had to shut the fuck up and let Mark take his time.

"It's... I just feel a bit... You've already had sex with Shane and Kian..." Mark continued.

"Yeah? So did you!"

"Yeah, but...the three of you are still so fit and stuff. I'm just..."

Nicky gave Mark a sharp look.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Is that what this is all about? You're standing here saying you think you're not good enough?"

"Well... I…”

"How many fucking times do I have to tell you I would give my right arm to be as tall and strong and masculine as you? How can you not have understood that by now? I stood on a fucking box to look taller when we took the new press photos, for gods sake! Imagine if I had been 6 foot when I was a goalie in Leeds!"

"5'11" and a half, actually."

"Just stop it!"

Nicky took the teacup from Mark’s hands and put it down on the kitchen counter. Then he gave him a challenging look and said:

"How do you think I feel about this, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Mark said hesitantly.

"Well, I have to compete with a 20-year-old now. How do you think it feels to be compared to someone half my age! Someone with that much hair! And he is tall as well!"

"He is not that young, Nicky..." Mark giggled and rolled his eyes. "Besides, this isn't about competing against anyone."

"Exactly, Mark." Nicky said and made a pause. "Now can we just stop talking shit and get on with this evening."

"Okay. Movie?"

"Yes."

 

*

 

"Have you seen The Greatest Showman?" Mark asked.

"Shane? Saw him this morning."

Mark laughed out loud. Nicky loved to make him laugh. He had missed that sound.

"I've seen it like ten times or something but if you haven't seen it, I have to show it to you." Mark said and held the DVD cover up.

"Okay."

“All the songs are great, but it’s one in particular that is…quite amazing. I’m sure you’ve heard it on the radio.”

Nicky curled up next to Mark in the sofa and let Mark put his arm around his shoulders. Nicky had missed this. Singing together and having a laugh with the lads and being a band again was fantastic. But sitting here with Mark was even better. Mark had always been the one who could offer Nicky a calm and peaceful place where he could totally relax and let go of all the expectations people had on him. With Mark, he didn’t have to be that jaunty and bubbly lad that everyone expected him to be. Mark didn’t care if he didn’t speak for a whole hour. Mark didn’t mind if he fell asleep in his arms.

“Oh look, here it comes. The song. Listen…” Mark said and raised the volume.

 

_I’m not a stranger to the dark._

_Hide away, they say, cause we don’t want your broken parts._

_I’ve learned to be ashamed of all my scars._

_Run away, they say, no one’ll love you as you are._

 

The melody was beautiful, but Nicky realized it was probably the lyrics that made Mark love the song so much.

 

 _When the sharpest words wanna cut me down_  
I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out  
I am brave, I am bruised  
I am who I'm meant to be, this is me

 

Nicky looked over at Mark and noticed he wiped away a tear.

"Are you crying?"

"Absolutely not." Mark said and wiped his other eye as well.

"Oh my god, you're crying! You're crying over that bearded lady! Gone all soft, have you? Mr. Strictly Not A Crier!"

"Get out of here, will ya."

Nicky laughed.

"Come here..." he said while he pulled Mark closer and kissed him. "It's a great song Mark. The lyrics are fantastic. I understand totally why you love it so much.”

Nicky put his head to Mark's chest.

"God I've missed you." he said.

Mark ran his fingers through Nicky's hair, then down the back of his neck. He kissed the top of his head and said:

"Hearing you on the radio was mostly great, you know. Felt really good to be able to hear your voice. But on more than one occasion I had to turn the radio off. Missed you too much."

"You did?"

"Mhm. You know, sometimes I did wonder why we split up the band. I remember the endless argues, I know we disagreed on song choices, I know you were fed up with hearing me snore on the tour bus. Still, the day after the band ended, I couldn't get out of bed."

Nicky lifted his head to take a look at Mark. Mark didn’t look him in the eyes, and Nicky realized this was the type of conversation where you didn’t necessarily want eye contact. He put his head back on Mark’s chest.

"We were actually worried about you. We were discussing if we should have like a check-in-on-Mark-schedule. Kian and Shane and I had partners and kids to go home to. You didn't. But then we decided we were being overprotective and that you were a grownup and that you had your brothers, your parents..."

Mark giggled and kissed Nicky's hair again.

"A check-in-on-Mark-schedule, huh? That's thoughtful of you. And you did check in on me. All three of you sent me text messages on a daily basis for weeks."

"We did. And you told us you were doing terrific. You never mentioned anything about not being able to get out of bed!"

"I was in bed for...three or four days, I think..."

"WHAT? You told me you were going for walks! You even sent me pictures!"

"Yeah, sorry. You mean the walking-the-dog-pictures? That was actually my brother's. Sorry."

Nicky lifted his head and gave Mark a shocked look.

"Look, it's no big deal! I didn't want you to worry about me! I'm a big boy. I've been through worse." Mark said.

Nicky gave him a long look.

"I knew I never should have let you out of sight.” he said while curling up like a ball next to Mark, one arm around Mark’s waist and head resting on his chest again. Mark put an arm around Nicky’s back and started to gently run his fingers through Nicky’s hair.

Nicky could hear Mark’s heartbeats and could feel every breath Mark took. These past weeks had been very busy, and Nicky was exhausted. Lying here in this man’s arms, feeling the warmth of his body, feeling his large hands stroking his back and his hair, Nicky had to close his eyes for a moment and just indulge in the feeling.

When Mark looked down a few moments later, Nicky was fast asleep. Mark smiled a tender smile and let Nicky sleep while finishing the movie on his own.

When the movie was finished, Mark moved Nicky slightly to be able to slide out of the sofa himself. He put Nicky in a comfortable position on the sofa and was about to put a blanket over him when Nicky mumbled:

“Love you, Marky…” seemingly in his sleep.

Mark sat down next to Nicky on the edge of the sofa. He couldn’t let Nicky sleep here. He deserved a good night’s sleep in a proper bed.

“Come on Nico” he almost whispered. “I’ll carry you to bed.”

Nicky put his arms around Mark’s neck and nuzzled into Mark’s stubble and let himself be scooped up and carried to the bedroom. Mark thought it must’ve looked like that scene from Bodyguard.

Mark helped Nicky off with his clothes and put him to bed in his boxers and t-shirt. Then he lay down beside him and tried to go to sleep, but it was impossible. So much had happened today and there were so many thoughts spinning in Mark’s head.

“Hold me…?” Nicky mumbled, eyes still shut.

Mark rolled over to Nicky’s side of the bed and spooned him from behind. His arm came around Nicky’s waist and Nicky took his hand and let their fingers entwine. It didn’t take long until both of them were sound asleep.

 

*

 

Nicky woke up still in Mark’s arms, but now facing him. Mark was sleeping like a log. Nicky studied his beautiful face at close range. He still had the same unnatural long eyelashes, the same perfect eyebrows, the same kissable lips. Nicky traced his fingers down Mark’s nose and along his lower lip. Mark mumbled something in his sleep. Nicky smiled a tender smile and continued to touch his face in subtle ways as to try and wake him up slowly.

“Hey… Sleepyhead.”

“Mhm…”

“Did I fall asleep in the sofa last night?”

“Mhm…”

“I don’t recall going to bed?”

“Mmm….”

“Mark!”

“Wha…?”

“How did I get to bed last night?”

“Don’t know… Carried you…”

It took a few moments before Nicky vaguely could recall fragments of being carried to bed and tucked in last night. He looked at Mark who was snoring slightly beside him. That adorable man. Nicky wanted to curl up in his arms again and stay there. But he knew they had to meet the lads in a couple of hours.

“Hey… Marky…” he said while laying down again, facing Mark and caressing his hair.

“Mmm…”

“You need to wake up.”

“No…”

“Yes.”

“I don’t want to.”

Mark embraced Nicky and dragged him close.

“Oh… Good morning…” Nicky said when he felt something pressing against him.

“It’s not… It’s just because it’s morning Nicky, don’t mind it.”

“What if I want to mind it?” Nicky said and pushed back slightly.

“I’m too tired, Nicky…”

“I’ll get ya going, don’t worry.” he said while pressing a hand to Mark’s crotch.

“Nicky…” Mark tried.

“Look. We didn’t have sex last night. We feel asleep. Can you even grasp that? WE FELL ASLEEP god damn it. That’s…horrible!”

“It’s not horrible. We were tired. We’re getting old.”

“We are NOT getting old!”

“Nicky, there is nothing wrong with being older. Appreciating different things in life.”

“Are you saying you don’t appreciate sex with me anymore?”  
“I’m not saying that. You know what I meant. Just let it go Nicky. We don’t need to prove anything, this is not a competition.”

Using the word “competition” near Nicky wasn’t a very wise move.

“Okay, that’s it. Come on.” he said and literally jumped out of bed.

“What…?”

“We are gonna shower. Together. C’mon.”

“I hate morning showers.”

“You’re gonna love this one.” Nicky said and gave Mark The Nicky Look before he started to walk slowly to the bathroom, obviously making sure he’d show off his cute little bum on the way.

Mark yawned and wrapped himself in the duvet before slowly heading to the bathroom. Nicky was already in the shower, washing his hair. His slender figure and sexy footballer legs showing through the glass doors. He looked even thinner than Mark remembered him.

“Don’t just stand there and admire my bum. Come and touch it.”

Mark shook his head and giggled and stepped closer to the shower. Nicky opened the doors.

“Come on in.” he said and waved at Mark.

“It’s cold in here…”

“It’s NOT.”

“And bright…”

Nicky rolled his eyes and grabbed Mark by the wrist and pulled him inside.

“Okay. Do you always bring your duvet into the shower?” Nicky said with a raised eyebrow.

“Um… No… Just occasionally…”

“This is ridiculous, Mark. I’ve seen you naked before. Get rid of the fucking duvet, you’re ruining it.”

“It’s already ruined, I think.”

Nicky grabbed the wet duvet and pulled it from Mark and then he tossed it over the shower doors before he put his arms around Mark’s neck and kissed him.

“Relax, will ya. This is no big deal. We’ve done all of this before. And I think you’re even sexier now. Just look at this stubble! There’s a little bit of grey here!” Nicky said and kissed Mark’s cheek. You’re turning into a silver fox and I love it.”

“Silver fox, huh? I look like a badger, Nicky.”

“You’re fucking killing me with this mature look, I’ve wanted you to fuck me all week.”

“Is that so…?” Mark said with a cheeky grin and grabbed Nicky’s bum with both hands.

“Yes… And those lips, Mark… I’ve dreamt of what you would do with them…”

“Mhm…” Mark said and kissed his way down Nicky’s body.

Mark knelt in front of Nicky and started to lick.

“Was this in your dream?” he said and closed his lips around Nicky’s cock.

“God damn it, Mark…” Nicky moaned and tilted his head back. “Slowly now…” he said while grabbing Mark’s hair with both hands.

Mark didn’t listen to his appeal, and soon Nicky was moaning loudly with pleasure and had to put his hands on Mark’s shoulders for support.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…” he chanted while Mark slid a finger inside him.

“Feels good?” Mark asked.

Nicky was unable to answer, his breathing was heavy and he had closed his eyes and was now squeezing Mark’s shoulders so hard it would probably leave bruises.

“Stop… Stop…” he moaned.

But Mark didn’t. Instead, he pushed another finger inside and took Nicky’s cock so deep in his mouth that Nicky had to look down to see how it was even possible. Seeing Mark sucking and fingering him with such pleasure pushed him right over the edge and he came with a cry.

Mark continued until he was sure Nicky was finished.

“Wow…” Mark said and smiled and raised an eyebrow.

“Oh fucking hell, Mark. What are you doing to me!”

“I can’t help it Nicky, you’re just too hot.”

“You really think so?”

“Isn’t that obvious?” Mark said and nodded in the direction of his own cock.

Nicky’s grin was wider than ever. He seemed very pleased with still being able to turn Mark on like that. He stepped closer to Mark and took his cock in one hand and mumbled:

“You know what I want, don’t you?”

“Tell me…” Mark whispered.

“I want you to fuck me like you used to do. Hard. Deep. Without mercy.”

Nicky stroked Mark’s cock a few times and then he turned around and braced himself against the wall in front of him. Mark was already behind him, already sliding two fingers inside. Nicky was surprised to feel his erection already returning. He was more turned on than ever, but after all he was 40 and didn’t expect his body to react that fast anymore. But with Mark, obviously it did.

“Go on…” Nicky nodded.

“Are you sure?” Mark checked.

“Yes, for god’s sake Marky. Fuck me. You know how I want it.”

Mark’s fingers were soon replaced by his large erection. He knew exactly how Nicky wanted it. Mark pressed his full length into Nicky in one go. Not fast or hard, just continuously without pausing.

“Yes. Oh yes. Keep going.” Nicky moaned.

“Are you okay?” Mark checked.

“It’s perfect. Oh my god. Yes.”

When his full length was completely inside, he stopped completely and held still.

“That’s it. Yes. Hold it like that.” Nicky’s breathing was heavy when he stood up and searched with his hand behind him. He found Mark’s hand and took it and placed it on his own cock.

“Oh. Nicky. Already?” Mark said in surprise.

“Yeah. Only with you, Mark.”

Mark’s other hand came around Nicky’s waist and Nicky tilted his head back to be able to kiss Mark. Mark moans were low, and he kept his eyes closed. He stroked Nicky’s cock while moving his hips very very slowly.

“Okay… Can’t hold it much longer…” Nicky breathed.

Mark let him bend over again and then he started to thrust. Deep and slowly at first, making Nicky moan loudly with each thrust.

“Oh, Nicky…”

“So god damn sexy. Fuck me harder, Mark…”

Mark sped up his thrusts and made sure he went as deep as possible. Nicky pushed back and made a squealing sound and came. Again. When Mark heard the familiar cry, he came too.

 

*

 

“I’m texting the lads now.” Nicky said and showed Mark his phone.

_Mission accomplished. Twice._

Mark laughed and shook his head and stepped out of the taxi.

“Why are you texting them, we’re seeing them in five minutes.”

“It’s not like we can discuss the matter in public, is it.”

Mark giggled and let Nicky lead the way into the building. Kian and Shane were already there and when Mark and Nicky arrived, they all hugged.

“Last night went okay?” Shane asked.

“More than okay.” Nicky grinned.

“Twice, huh?” Kian said. “Is that true, Mark?”

Nicky gave Kian an offended look.

“Um… Technically only once, but some of us…um…got there twice…if you know what I mean…” Mark said and nodded in the direction of Nicky.

Shane laughed out loud and did a high five with Nicky.

“Yeah you know, after all, I’m only 40.” Nicky said and smiled his most confident smile ever.


	8. Westlife

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written by chooken

Sixteen minutes.

From the time the first of them arrived to the last.  Mark was first, saw each of them look at him in surprise when they walked in.

Nicky then, shrugging off his jacket.  Then Shane, ten minutes before the agreed-upon 11am.  Kian caught the door behind him, tapped him on the shoulder, and they came through in a half-hug to get out of the way of the secretary trying to exit the building.

Shane yanked them all into a brisk hug.  There were stools set up in the little studio and when they sat it felt strange and right, like walking into your own house after too long on holiday.

Nicky fucked it up on the third take.  They decided to keep that version in, were all laughing too hard to do much better.  Left an hour later, two abreast as they entered the lift, a perfect scattered square.

Shane took Nicky's hand.

“You flying back now?” Kian asked, to no-one in particular.

“Staying overnight,” Mark said.  “Got a flight in the morning.  Figured I'd catch up with friends or whatever.”

“What friends?”

“I have other friends, Nicky.”  The reply had only a touch of snark.  Shane laughed.

“I'm later tonight.  Wasn't sure how long we'd be.”

“Back to Mark's then?” Kian suggested.

“It's fine, I don't have plans.”

“Course you do.  You're catching up with friends.”  Nicky's hand slipped from Shane's as the doors slid open.  “What are we supposed to do?  Hang around the airport for hours?  The fans'll have it half across Instagram by the time we land.  You want to be responsible for that?”  Mark was already rolling his eyes, though he'd clearly given in.  Kian and Shane were nodding in agreement.  “Anyway, celebration cocktails sound like an idea.”

 

*

 

Nicky went straight for the drink cabinet when they arrived.  Mark didn't bother commenting.  There was never much point, with Nicky.  He was going to do what he felt like doing and unless anyone had life-or-death objections it was generally just better to go along for the ride.

Which probably explained a lot about the last few months.

He'd thought it'd be strange.  And it had been, beforehand.  A sense of anticipation that worried a knot in his stomach until he saw Shane's smile and realised it was excitement, more than anything.  Not for the sex, precisely.  But for what they'd had.  That old closeness he'd spent too long trying to get over.  Something not as simple as just being a band together.

“Mark?”

Shane, leaned near the fridge.  The others had wandered off.  Loose in his house, which was a mild terror.

“Mm?”

“You okay?”

“Yeah.  I really am.”  He smiled when Shane stepped closer, pulled him into a hug.  A tender kiss dotted to his cheek.  “This is happening, isn't it?”  There was a nod against his shoulder.  “I didn't thank you.”

“For what?”

“Just... everything.  Keeping an eye on me when things were shit.”  He breathed out.  “I told the others I was getting out of bed.  I didn't need to lie to you.”  Arms squeezed him tighter.  “You always got it.”

“You needed to process.  I know what you're like.”  Shane pulled back, smiling, and Mark remembered the times he'd been depressed and scared, those years ago, fighting with himself.  And Shane had slid in under the covers and just held him.  Not made him shower or get dressed, just stroked his hair and waited patiently until Mark was ready to face the day.

“You were going through your own stuff.  I didn't mean to...”

“You checked on me too,” Shane pointed out.  Mark had.  Had known he couldn't help in any real way except to offer support.  A place to drop the kids off when Shane and Gillian needed to go to the bank or another crisis meeting and Kian was busy with his own children.  He'd never minded.

They were family.

Shane didn't seem to know where Nicky and Kian had gone either, though after a quick wander they found them in the upstairs sitting room, snuggled low and conspiratorial over a couple of scotch glasses.  Nicky's hand was on Kian's thigh, not an entire surprise, though when Mark sat down beside him Nicky turned to peck his cheek.

“Hey.”

“Hey,” Mark replied.  Shane had slouched on the other end beside Kian, was tilted to rest his head on his friend's shoulder.

They stayed like that.  It wasn't hard.  A joined mess of cocktails and casual comfort.  Shane started checking his phone.  Kian hummed half a song that Nicky picked up while Mark wondered if he should open a packet of crisps or just order pizza because god knew he didn't feel like making an effort for dinner.  Shane finished his drink first.

“Top up?”

“If you're offering,” Nicky replied, and drained his glass.  Held it out.  Mark did the same.

“Leave the Cognac, it's for a special occasion.”

“This isn't special?” Shane laughed.

“Finding the right time,” Mark argued.  Kian snorted beside him.  “I'm um...”  He breathed out.  “I'm going to propose actually.  On our anniversary.”  The silence was a moment, though it felt like a year.  Kian started to laugh.  “So... yeah.”

“Won't touch it then.  Congratulations!”  Shane leaned in for a hug.  Mark accepted it, allowing himself to smile now the bandaid was off.  He hadn't even told his mam yet.  Nicky was wrapped around him as well.  Kian reached behind Nicky to pat his shoulder, still laughing.  “About time.  It's only been a million years.”

“It'll be five.”

“That's ages,” Nicky retorted.  Mark wondered if he had to remind him that it had been ten years before he and Georgina had gotten married, but there probably wasn't any point.  “Brilliant!  All four of us then.  Westwives on the road!”

“He's still a man.”

“Don't you have to be eighteen for that?” Nicky joked.  Mark elbowed him.  Hard.  Got an apologetic wink.  “I'm just messing.  Happy for you.  He'll get along with Jodi, she was jailbait too.”  Kian punched him in the shoulder.  “Jesus, all sides.”  Kian was glaring.  “Ooh, I'm Kian, I definitely waited until she was eighteen.”

“Shut up,” Shane said idly.  Nicky looked very pleased with himself.  “Kian?  Drink?”  Kian nodded and knocked his back too, though he was chuckling slightly.  It was hard not to.  Nicky was infectious.

Nicky announced that he'd help and skipped off after their bandmate.  Kian nodded at Mark.

“Fair play.”

“Cheers.”  He couldn't help smiling.  It hadn't felt real before.  “Think next year's gonna be it, you know.  Everything just feels...”  He shrugged.  “It's coming together.  Like the last few were amazing, doing my own thing, but this is coming home in a way.”  Kian had reached up, his hand making idle strokes through Mark's hair.  It was nice, and not unwanted.

“Like starting again,” Kian agreed.  “Except this time we know what we're doing.”

“Do we?”

“Probably not.”  They both laughed.  “Remember the first time, though.  Talking about it in my room and it just felt so right, like.  You singing to my guitar.  Then I kissed you and... it didn't feel wrong.  It never felt wrong.”  He snorted.  “Sometimes I forget which part's the band and which part was us.  Maybe they're the same thing.”  He breathed out slowly while Mark waited for him to finish the thought.  “Can I tell you something?”

“Course.”

“I didn't sleep with Shane,” Kian said softly.  “We made out a little bit but then it just... I don't know.  He's family almost and after everything...”  He sighed.  “We've become different things to each other.”

“In a bad way?”

“I don't think so.  I wanted it, don't get me wrong, but...”  He sidled closer on the sofa.  “It wasn't like you and me.”

“No?”

“We were first,” Kian explained.  “Despite everything we'll always have that.”  Mark couldn't help but smile back.  “Nicky was fun, and Shane was too, but you were the one I wanted when it was just you and me on our own.”  His fingers traced from Mark's hairline around to his cheek, making a path down his jaw.  “I don't think about them when I'm on my own.”

“Should I be flattered?”

“Who do you think about?”

“I try not to,” Mark admitted.  “It stopped feeling real.”  Kian nodded slowly.  “I think I cut things off for a while.  It was just easier.”  A balm to the sudden isolation.  He'd always liked his own company, but that was different to being by yourself.  And in between, figuring out that love wasn't always on a set schedule.  That sometimes it just happened when you least expected.  “How long have they been making those drinks, actually?”

“Ten to one they're shagging.”  Mark laughed.

“I wish I disagreed.”  A glow of warmth swept through him when Kian leaned in to kiss his forehead, a tender peck.  He wrapped his arms around a solid waist, smiled into Kian shoulder.  “I do love you, Ki.  You know that.”

“I know,” Kian whispered.  “Love you too.”  He released Mark.  “Want to investigate?”

“Magnifying glass, Holmes?”

“Won't need one for Nicky.”  Mark barked a laugh while Kian smirked.  “Come on Watson.”  They linked hands while they stood, squeezed.   “Let's solve the case of the missing eejits.”

 

*

 

They weren't shagging.

Mark was rounding the corner, about to say something about getting the hose, when a hand reached out to stop him.  He paused.  Realised Nicky and Shane were stood just in view, snogging he thought at first, though when he edged a bit further round the door he realised they were dancing.  Arms around each other's waists and foreheads pressed together, eyes locked sweetly.

Kian's hand fell into his again.  Mark squeezed it.  Wondered why there was a lump in his throat.  A thumb stroked down his and he turned to look, saw Kian smile.  When he looked back the two had noticed them there and were separating.

“Sorry,” Shane mumbled.  “Just...”  His arm was still around Nicky in a loose embrace, cheeks a little flushed.  “Um.”  The front of his jeans was bunched.  “I dunno.  We were talking.”  Nicky snorted, a little self-satisfied, though he was pink too.  Shane reached down to adjust himself.  Their eyes all followed it, and Mark realised Kian's grip had tightened.  They hadn't, he remembered.  Not that any of this should have been taking place, but at least Mark had had the pleasure one last time, even if it had been cramped.

He let go Kian's hand.  Gave him a gentle nudge on the thigh.

Kian looked up, eyes a question.  Mark shrugged.  Got a guilty eyeroll in return.

Then Kian stepped forward.  Two steps, three.  Until he was stood in front of Shane.  Mark saw Shane over his friends shoulder, saw him raise his eyebrow and lick his lips nervously.  Saw the two of them join hands, both reaching out at the same time as Kian lifted their shared grip between them, looking into Shane's palm like he could read their future there, his other hand tracing the lines.

“Shay, I...”

“Yeah,” Shane murmured.  He cupped the back of Kian's head, pulled them in close so their noses almost touched.  Nicky was looking at Mark.  Mark shrugged back, got a smirk in reply.  “I want you.”  Mark realised he'd stepped closer, within earshot.  “I don't know how to...”  He shuddered a sigh.  Kian was pecking a row of tentative butterfly kisses along his upper lip.  “Oh Jesus.”

Not the right thing, maybe.  Mark wasn't sure.  But none of this was right.  Not wrong, either.  Necessary.  A last thread left undone.

“Leave you to it?” he suggested.

“No,” Shane said quickly.  “Don't...”  Kian was watching him carefully, though he nodded as well.

“You should stay,” he said, and Mark understood.

“What do you need?”

 

*

 

A shower, was the answer.  Kian had always liked one before sex.  Didn't mind things messy, but it was a little ritual that had always helped him.  Washed him clean, maybe, though Mark didn't know if it was that deep a metaphor.

Regardless he took Kian upstairs to the bathroom.  Sorted him out a towel while his friend stripped off and tested the hot water, then stepped in, nodding to himself.

When Mark closed the door and found Shane sitting nervously on the edge of the bed he felt a little like one of those old-timey movies.  The ones where they'd lay the virgin bride out and watch to make sure the deed got done.

“Alright?”

“Think so.”  He glanced to the shut door over Mark's shoulder, where pattering water and the sound of soft singing was just audible.  “Can I have a minute?  We'll call when...”  He looked at the door again.  “Nicky's getting me another drink.”

Mark went to help.  Nicky looked up as he walked into the kitchen.

“Hey.”  The drink was in front of him on the counter.  “Here we are again.”

“Here we are,” Mark agreed.

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”  He hesitated.  “I um... actually decided.  After we...”  Nicky tilted his head.  “I dunno.  I hadn't been sure.  Especially after Kevin and everything.  I thought he was the one and that went on even longer, so how do I know?”

“How do you know?”

“I guess I don't.  I spend all my time making up all these scenarios in my head where maybe it's me or I'm not good enough or he'll get sick of me eventually and then I just...”  He shrugged.  “Sometimes you gotta just jump in with both feet.  If you want something enough.  And I do.  Want him.”

“You think he'll say yes?”

“I won't know if I don't ask.”  He laughed nervously, unable to help it.  “In a way you inspired me, I guess.  We were probably going to do all this eventually but you just laid it out on the table.  And while it was happening I felt connected again.  Like in a way I hadn't in ages.  Then all I could think was how I was going to tell him when I got home and we'd have a good laugh about it.”

“Did you?”

“He thought it was hilarious,” Mark admitted.  The sex afterwards had been fairly fantastic too.  “I forget sometimes.  You're with someone ages and you're not sure if you're still alright or if you're just what they've settled on.”

“Nobody settles for Markus Feehily,” Nicky said sternly.  “They earn him, and if they don't appreciate him his friends come round for a serious conversation.”

“Ten years ago it would have been with a baseball bat.”

“I'm getting old.  Dodgy elbow.”  They grinned at each other.  “I'm glad fucking me made you want someone else,” he teased, and stuck his tongue out.

“Do that and someone'll bite it off.”

“Come and try then.”  They looked up at a creak on the stairs, saw Shane peering down.  Nicky waved.  He disappeared up again.  “They didn't do it, did they?”

“No,” Mark admitted.  “You knew?”

“Had a feeling.  Kian was cagey, kept wanting me to tell him about how I fucked Shane.”

“Surprised you didn't say anything.”

“I do have some tact, thank you.”  Nicky stepped ahead, began to climb the stairs.  “I get it.  They're practically family.  Doesn't mean they don't want it.”  He reached back, and Mark took his hand.  “It'll be alright.  Sometimes you just have to jump in, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Mark snorted.  Nicky smirked over his shoulder as they stepped into the hall.  “Guess you do.”

 

*

 

The bedroom smelled of floral body gel and the steam from the ensuite.  Oddly domestic, a moment of looking in from the outside when it was usually him towelling off and joking about something, about to climb into a shared bed.  Except this time it was Shane sat on the edge of the mattress, pecking kisses to Kian's hips while their friend dried his hair and looked down with a fond expression.

Nicky handed Shane the glass.  He took a sip and put it aside.  Looked up at Kian who was still holding the towel.

“Love you.”

“Yeah,” Kian murmured.  His hand made a rough stroke through Shane's hair, affectionate.  Mark took the towel.  Hung it up then came back to Nicky crawling onto the bed, settling in behind Shane and wrapping both arms around his waist.

“Okay?” he muttered.  Shane's eyes were dark.  His jeans thoroughly bulged out.  Kian was hard too.  Rigid and tilted up, water still beaded in the neat hair surrounding him.  A hand reached out.  Mark stepped in, wrapping around his back.

“Okay?”

“Stay,” Kian breathed.  Mark nodded.  Bent to kiss his shoulder and felt a moan.  Shane licked his lips.  Nicky was popping open the buttons on his jeans, fumbling a little with the odd angle.  Mark skimmed hands up Kian's thighs, unable to help it, smooth and still warm from the hot water, and felt himself respond to the way his naked friend arched in his arms, a slow roll of muscle.  Let his teeth out to scrape and felt another moan.  Heard Shane's when he tilted his head to the side to allow Nicky a suckling bite beneath his ear.

“Like that,” Kian breathed.  Nicky grinned.  Caught Shane's earlobe and sucked it in.  Shane was flushed.  Beautiful and going limp in Nicky's arms, his cock poking out where he'd been unbuttoned.  Nicky slid a hand in, around his length and up, easing him free.  Kian groaned.

“Wanna taste it?” Nicky teased.  Kian gulped.

“Yes.”  He was grinding back with every breath.  It was distracting to say the least.  Mark let his hands wander.  Up a fluttering belly, tweaking at hard nipples.  Kian was electricity in his arms.  Alive and dangerous. Curving into his hands as he slid one up a stubbled throat, the other down his sternum, across his stomach.  Felt power in his grip.  Kian whimpered.

Shane's thighs shifted apart in invitation.  They bent together, Mark unable to stop touching, on knees behind Kian while Nicky shadowed Shane, helping to peel his t-shirt over his head.  While Mark bit a line down Kian's spine then back up again to bury his face in the scent of his own shampoo.

Kian reached.  Mark went with him, trailing fingers down the ridges of knuckles, mapping strong forearms that shifted as clever hands peeled Nicky's away and replaced them.  One at the base and one guiding the head to his mouth while Shane's breaths quickened and he looked down with wide eyes.

“Oh,” Shane muttered.  Kian moaned, a wanting gurgle in the back of his throat.  “Oh fuck Ki.”  His eyelids fluttered.  Nicky's fingers were teasing his nipples, rough flicks that made him jerk.

“Feel good?” Nicky whispered.  He was watching intently.  Peering over Shane's shoulder as Kian set a slow rhythm.  “He didn't do that to me,” he added.  “Mark?”  Mark shook his head.  “Saving it for you, I think.  Such a good boy.”  Shane groaned.

“Kian.”  His head tipped back. Hands curling into damp blonde hair.  Mark sat back.  Ran a hand down a long back to watch the way it shifted minutely every time Kian bobbed.  Knees spread and arse up, almost wanton.  Cupped his hands over firm arse cheeks and remembered sinking between them.  Prying them open and feeling Kian tight around him.

“No touching.”  He looked up to Nicky removing Shane's hands from Kian's hair, pulling them behind his back then trapping them with his own weight.  “Good lad.  Marky, get Kian's.”  Mark did as told, wondering where Nicky was going with this.  Felt Kian almost topple forward then regain his balance, steadied by Mark gripping his wrists at his lower back.  If either of them had a problem with being restrained it was mitigated by the steady rising moans coming out of Shane's throat as Kian worked him closer, taking him as deep as he could manage without a hand to steady the thrust.

It was obscene.  Slurps that seemed to fill the room, the flex of Kian against him, arse rubbing Mark's crotch each time he dipped to take another mouthful.  His jeans were tight, and he wished he'd removed them but didn't have a hand free.  Not while he was stopping Kian from touching, stopping him from falling.  While Nicky was running his fingers through Shane's chest hair and down, tugging and teasing as he went.

“Fuck, your arse,” Mark muttered.  Kian managed a muffled laugh.  He gathered both wrists with one hand, let go with the other to administer a sharp smack that made Kian groan, made the swell of his arse shock.  Another when he saw the way Shane was reacting, eyes lighting up with a intense fury.

“Do it again,” Shane panted.  His thighs were as far apart as they'd go.  Mark lifted his hand.  “Little slut.”  Mark smirked and brought his hand down, harder this time on the right cheek.  “You like that, Kian?”  Another strangled groan. “Fuck, take it.”  Whether he meant the spanking or Shane's cock it wasn't quite clear, but Mark did it again.  Three abrupt slaps that had Kian yelping, gulping down faster.  “Like it rough, don't you?”  Hips jerking, fucking into Kian's mouth.  Mark swatted him again, gripped tight on impact and felt Kian howl.  Scraped his nails up abused flesh and wished he didn't feel so turned on himself.  Aching in his jeans  Dropped a hand to unzip, saw Nicky's eyes follow it, Shane's eyes too fixed on Kian.

“Not fair,” Nicky joked.  “Why'm I the only one not getting off?”

“Not stopping you,” Mark shot back.  Kian giggled around Shane's cock, then let out a low whimper when Mark trailed his cock down his captured friend's arse-crack.  Not pressing, just enjoying the feeling of velvet skin over tight muscle.

“I get to fuck him,” Shane blurted, eyes suddenly possessive.  His shoulders struggled, though Nicky held firm.  “Don't...”  His hips gave two sudden jerks.  “Oh fuck.”  Head tipping back, mouth suddenly agape.  “Oh fuck, too late.”  His thighs spread wider, tried to close, then spread again.

He came growling Kian's name, pulling futilely forward.  Nicky held him.  Until he was done.  Let go his hands to catch him, soothing him down while he heaved, chest a blotchy flush and rolling with spent gasps.

Kian pulled off, licking his lips.

Mark caught him.  Knelt behind him and settled a loose hold round his waist.  Kian sighed.  Rubbed himself back.  Aroused but clearly needing connection as well.  Mark was happy to give it.

“Alright?” he checked.  Kian nodded.

“Yeah.  Thanks.”  The other two were watching them, Mark realised.  Nicky had undone his jeans at some point, was rubbing a casual grind into Shane's lower back while Shane's own cock lay wet and limp through the opening of his jeans.  “Been a while since I've been called a slut,” he joked.  Shane let out a giggle.  “Thought we were friends.”

“Some of my best friends are sluts,” Mark pointed out.  Nicky cackled a laugh.  They all grinned stupidly at each other.

They got up slowly.  Mark's knees creaked, and he was about to make a comment about being too old for this sort of thing when he saw Kian wince and put a hand on his lower back.  Mark dithered, not sure whether to do himself up, but when he saw Nicky shuffle out of his own jeans he supposed it probably wasn't worth it, especially when his t-shirt came off as well.

“Come on.”  They all looked at him confusedly.  Nicky put a hand on his hip, cock making a bouncing swing as he did.  “We're not going to stop there, are we?  Shane needs to fuck Kian apparently, and I'm certainly not waiting for this to go down.”  He put a hand on himself in emphasis.  Mark found himself licking his lips.  “Last hurrah?”

“Might as well.”  Shane's voice was a little slower now, almost sleepy.  Mark wondered if he'd be able to go again at all.  “Flight's not for another five hours,” he added.

“Glad we're helping you kill time,” Mark joked.  Kian snorted, had gone down a little in the meantime but was giving him a look that meant it wouldn't take time to go back up.  “Er...”  He looked around.  Large bed it might be but it wouldn't fit four.  “Can run a bath?” he suggested.

“Brilliant idea.”  Nicky slapped his arse on the way to the bathroom, making him yelp.  Kian trotted after him.  Shane collected his barely-touched drink and followed, leaving Mark stood in his own bedroom, wondering how it had come to this.

He supposed there was no harm seeing it through.

 

*

 

The bath took a while to fill.  It was certainly big enough.  He'd had it installed with luxury in mind.  A large square well, TV above it, water jets.  More an indoor jacuzzi than a bath.  He saw Shane and Nicky pass a look when they saw it and wink at each other.  And by the time he'd turned the water on, added bubble bath, and looked back around the two of them were necking in the corner, sat naked on the tiled step.

“Alright?” he joked.  Nicky looked up.

“This thing's olympic size.  What else are we going to do for the next hour?”  Kian was settling beside him, the three of them an obscene row of pigeons on a tree-branch.  “Why are you still dressed?”

“Er...”  He began to shrug out of his clothes.  His t-shirt got caught on his head.  When he sat down he felt exposed.  Just a naked person on cold tile, waiting for the bubbles to rise enough to hide him.

Nicky interrupted the thought by climbing into his lap.

“Hey,” Mark laughed.  His bandmate had swung a leg over and was now facing him, looking cheerful.  Hands settled on his shoulders and he realised Kian had slid in behind him.  Warm skin against his back, punctuated by a grinding stiffness when he pressed closer and began to kiss at the back of Mark's ear.

“You look tense,” he whispered.  Mark shivered.

“No.  Just...”  Nicky's hands were playing down his chest.  Nails scratching up again.  Kian's fingernails were tickling too, a slow rake down his spine and out across the softness of his hips, back up again.  Heels of palms kneading a massage up his neck.  He groaned and tilted forward to allow it.

“You got to relax me last time,” Kian pointed out.  “Your turn.”

“Vibrator might be dangerous in the bath.”

“You got a vibrator?” Nicky sounded scandalised.  “Why didn't I get a vibrator?”  Shane laughed, and when they looked round he was sat at the other end of the bath, the water just rising around his knees.  “What are you doing?”

“Watching.”  He nodded downwards to where he was at half-mast again already.  “Need the inspiration.”  He reached down, began a lazy tease that pinched at the head then stroked down to fondle his balls.  “Carry on.”

“Thanks for the permission, Filan,” Nicky drawled.  Kian chuckled, shaking against Mark's back.  “But what are we going to do with Mark?  We are his guests after all.”

“Is that what you are?  I thought guests were invited.”

“Shut up,” Nicky retorted.  Kian bit down on Mark's shoulder.

“Remember Jakarta?” Shane said lazily.  Nicky looked over his shoulder.

“Which time?”

“Face to Face tour.”

Understanding crawled a lascivious smirk across Nicky's face, and when he looked back his eyes were sparkling.  Kian was already moving, as though he knew what the fuck Shane was talking about while Mark was still wracking his memories for the right one and water lapped around his ankles.

“Mm.”  He was gathered into a slow kiss.  Kian was moving.  Letting him go.  Mark could hear him shifting around and when he opened his eyes again Kian was leaning in to take over while Nicky slid downwards, splashing slightly in the rising water.

Lips wrapped around him, making him mutter a groan into Kian's mouth.  Wet pleasure, a hot sheath.  Kian shifted to the side to make room.  One leg bent around Mark's back, the other tangled down with his, passing Nicky, who was looking up cheekily.

“S'nice,” Mark breathed.  Tilted his hips.  Nicky met it.  Didn't have much choice when Kian was reaching out to hold his head still, guiding the thrust.

“Help him,” Shane murmured.  Kian snorted.  Began to slide down as well.  Mark caught Shane's gaze as the second mouth began to tease him, the two of them starting a messy kiss that made him shudder and his thighs tense outwards to allow more room.  Saw Shane's tongue dart out, the look of approval.  Mark's hands found two heads, felt hair slip through his fingers, but didn't break the stare.  Not while Shane was beginning to stroke himself faster.  Not just playing now, putting that slight twist into his wrist that made him tip his head back and rumble a groan.

Too good.  Taking turns around him, one licking down and back up, the other taking him in.  Effortless.  Almost mesmerising.  Nicky was tighter, more careful, Kian a slurping dip that went almost all the way down.  The water up to their chins and when he looked up again Shane was almost up to his waist, though he splashed to his knees and began to crawl over, eyes on Kian's arse as he did.

His hands closed the gap a moment later.  Cupped over and spread while Kian made a soft grunt of surprise around Mark's cock and pulled off to look back over his shoulder.  Nicky took over.  Went down deep, and when Mark opened his eyes from a surprised cry Shane was rubbing against him purposefully, watching his cock drive past the pucker of Kian's hole.

“Shane...”  Kian gasped, pushed back.

“You want it?”  The sharp crack of Shane's hand echoed against the tiles.  Red mark on Kian's arse from before.  “Slut.”

“Your slut,” Kian whimpered.  “Fuck me, I can take it.”  Shane's hand cracked down again.  Mark felt himself surge.  The warning pulse of getting too close, Nicky's mouth starting a rhythm now it was on it's own.

Nicky pulled off with a slurp.  Mark groaned.

“Lube?”

“Er...”  His brain stuttered uselessly for a moment.  “Er.”

“Bedroom?”

“Top drawer,” he announced.  Nicky snorted and climbed out of the water, splashing as he went.  Mark reached over to turn the taps off.  It was high enough now, warm enough, and now that Kian was bending to take him in again he knew if it went any deeper his friend would drown.

_Sorry, Bryan, do you mind coming back after all?  Kian drowned giving head in my bath._

He was drifting, eyes half closed to the velvet rhythm of Kian's mouth when he felt splashing footsteps and heard the click of a bottle opening.  Opened his eyes to Nicky stepping one leg over Kian's back and then sitting carefully down, his weigh rested like he was riding a horse backwards.  Shane was moaning softly, hand gripping himself as he ground at Kian's hole.

“Here,” Nicky murmured.  Crouched and balancing himself, one hand squeezing a dollop of gel onto his other.  “Let me.”  Reached down.  Kian let out a soft, choked hiccup.  Whimpered.  Mark looked down, saw eyes go suddenly wide, roll back slightly then close as Nicky pressed against him.  Mark couldn't see.  Knew how clever those fingers were regardless, slim and agile.  Knew from the open-mouthed way Shane was watching that they were doing their job well.

Then he was leaning up to kiss Nicky furiously, his free hand gathered in blonde hair, other still on his cock.

“Ng-” sharp gulp, muffled by Mark's cock.  “Ng-”  Kian's hand was underneath, eyelashes fluttering while Nicky worked him open.  Mark cradled his cheeks, did the work for him as his mouth went sloppy and tongue turned to a messy snake around him.  Felt Kian take it.  All three of them pushing inside him, Kian sobbing out and oh Nicky had prised the way open enough for Shane to get the head in, was massaging around his hole to loosen things up further, his jaw sagging while Mark...

He felt a jolt of arousal that only urged things on.  Saw Nicky glance back and realised he'd made a sound, saw a smirk in reply.

“How's the view?”

He laughed, unable to help it.  Couldn't see that much, in fairness, not with Nicky in the way, but it was enough.  More than enough when Nicky bent further to help and his arse lifted slightly, cheeks spreading and...

“Oh,” Nicky whispered.  Mark stroked down over him again, two fingers.  “Oh cheeky.”  He looked back over again, eyes sly over his shoulder.  “Want the lube?”  Mark shook his head, wrapped a hand around his thigh and pulled back.  Kian was whimpering around him.  Shane was making short thrusts.  Edging further into him with each one.

Mark leaned forward.

“Jesus,” Nicky muttered.  Mark grinned.  Sucked into the pucker of Nicky's arse.  A little soapy from the water, opening on his tongue.  Nicky moaned.  Mark slipped a hand up his cheek to open him further, heard the groan turn to a soft groan of acquiescence.

“Jesus,” Shane said as well.  Gathered Nicky into another hard kiss, stopping his panting for as long as it took to need a breath.  Kian drove down.  His hand tangled with Mark's free one, gripping tight, and Mark realised Shane was all the way in, slowing down to test the rhythm.  Speeding up soon after while both of them kissed Nicky open.

Heaven.  Better than heaven.  Heaven was clean perfection.  This was connection.  Honesty.  Secrets and trust and making stupid faces and obscene noises.  The splash of the water and the suck of Kian's mouth, the taste of Nicky's arse.  The way whenever Nicky and Shane's kiss parted they looked at each other the same way they always had.  That when he looked down Kian was looking up, letting him take his mouth, eyes blissed out and held beneath the arc of their bodies.

“Jesus,” Mark muttered, felt his eyes shut without his permission, blocking the view of Nicky's frantically jerking fist.  The flutter he'd been keeping at bay rising to a keening whine.  Felt Kian's mouth stutter.  Shane cry out and the _slap slap slap_ of him taking his oldest friend in a palacial bathroom none of them would have ever thought to own when they'd been changing in the Hawks Well toilets.

Kian pulled off.  Fist taking over.  Blurted out a warning.  Mark scraped his teeth over Nicky's rim without meaning to and heard a desperate cry, felt him buck.

One of them came first.

Mark was too lost to notice who.

 

*

 

_Less than a minute_

_Jesus Shane I know how time works, stop making me nervous._   Mark chuckled at Nicky's frank response.  Saw a few dots appear below to say Kian was typing.

“Alright?”

“Think so.”  A cup of coffee landed on the table beside him.  “That wise?  I hardly slept last night.”

“I know, you kept tossing the duvet off.”  A careful kiss dotted to his cheek.  “It'll be alright.”

“You don't know what it's like.”

“I know what you're like.”  A gentle smile.  His hand was gripped tight.  Mark squeezed back.  “It'll be fun, anyway.  People can stop asking me when it's happening.”  He reached out to refresh Mark's laptop.  Nothing.  Again.

A small black and white video box filled the screen.

“Now we wait.”

They didn't have to wait very long.  The numbers were climbing already.  Mark giggled stupidly as hands settled on his shoulders in a comforting knead.  A thousand.  Two.  Five.  Holy shit.

“Guess nothing's changed.”

“Some things have,” Cailean murmured.  Mark glanced up.  He was smiling.  “This is my first time at this rodeo.  What do we do now?”

Mark reached out, shared the video, then closed the laptop.  The smile turned confused.

“It'll be there later,” he decided.  “Want to walk the dogs?”

Cailean went to get the leads.  The phone was still on the table, vibrating, next to his untouched coffee.  He ignored the notifications.  Flicked open the messages again and saw excitement, laughter, an amazed screenshot.

_Love you lads_ he put, and sent it.

Then he put his phone in his pocket and went to get their coats.


End file.
